A New Leaf
by Disturbeddramallama
Summary: Crossover between Van Helsing (2004) movie and Hellsing fandom. Alucard, after generations of slavery to the Hellsing family is purchased for a hefty price by a very wealthy female with some very dark secrets. Hope you enjoy! Rated M for rape and violence
1. Chapter 1 (07-08 19:43:12)

(((Hello everyone, I'm new to FanFiction! Welcome to my first story!)))

For this story, I only own the original characters. Also, just throwin' it out there, I know almost nothing of this fandom. This story is inspired by a story I stumbled upon, written by Deathintheorchard. I read a few of this author's stories and that's all I have to go on...hopefully this turns out well!

Also, because I'm the author and you are my audience aaaand because I'm used to informative writing, I fully intend to introduce you to new things and push music preferences on you. Unfortunately, looking back, FF hates box quotes so whatever... I did the best with what I had. Have fun!

Chapter 1

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Cold. Exhaustion. Hunger.

Fear.

He lay naked and crumpled on the grimy stone floor. It was dark in his little cell. He didn't mind the dark, it was safe. He was safe. The stones hurt his emancipated body but at least, while he was chained in this room, he was alone and safe.

Master had just returned him to his cell. So he wouldn't be back until the next day. There was no way for him to track the time for he was in complete darkness. The only sounds he heard was the cart of specimens and tools being wheeled out of the lab. The sound faded as it traveled down the length of hallway. The specimens on the cart were his specimens. Pieces of him. His master, for the past month had been particularly interested in how his body worked under different conditions. When he had first been captured and sealed, he was simply beaten at his master's whim. This however was far worse. The week before the dissections started he was well fed and allowed to rest in his coffin. He even had clothes then! Abraham had renamed him Alucard but he was getting used to the change. He hated the new name, it symbolized his slavery to his master, Abraham, but he had been beaten to dull acceptance at this point. He had thought things were looking up when the regular meals and rest became routine but then the dissections started.

He lay naked on a cold metal table tilted slightly upward towards where his head was. His nakedness was a bit more than uncomfortable. He felt ashamed and exposed. The metal bonds on the table completely immobilized him and allowed the doctors and his master complete view of his body. He was pinned down at the forehead, shoulders, elbows, wrists, the sides of his hips, his knees and his ankles. He couldn't move. He simply lay there keening and shivering. A tray was rolled next to his bed. He tried to look at it but it was to far out of his peripheral vision to see. A chill ran down his spine. Abraham was lounging on the glass window ledge that looked into the hallway. When the set up was complete, the doctors closed in around Dracula.

(Very graphic section)

Fear gripped him. A doctor leaned over him, the man looked into Dracula's eyes. Dracula returned the gaze, searching the man's eyes for any sympathy. There was none, only a cold clinical stare. The doctors voices washed over the uncomprehending vampire. Red embers left the chief doctor's eyes and darted around to the other doctors and their torturous instruments. A scalpel slipped out of his range of sight towards his chest. A sharp smooth pain came instantly. He felt the blade slip into him. The pain wasn't horrible but it's smooth fluid movement into his flesh made him sick. He gave a glass shattering scream followed by agonized keening and gasping. A quarter inch deep incision had been made and run down the length of the vampire. It started at his the manubrium of his sternum and followed the linea alba all the way to his pubic crest.

The chief surgeon, obviously irritated by the vampire's pained cries and protests, decided to silence the beast. With cold sufficiency, he made an incision in the neck and used a pair a misquote foreceps to close off the vampire's trachea. Dracula didn't need to breathe so it wouldn't cause any lasting damage that couldn't be fixed. It would, however, silence him. It was the perfect solution and the doctor was satisfied.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Dissection

After the doctors had successfully shut up their unwilling victim, they resumed the dissection. The specimen, after being well-fed and allowed to rest, appeared to be healing quickly. The incision along midline had begun to reseal in a matter of seconds. The doctors discussed this amongst themselves and decided instead to cut the body using silver instruments. The mosquito forceps silencing the vampire were also exchanged. The dissection aging resumed. This time the instant healing did not occur. The medical scribes took note of the change in bodily response to the silver. Every inch of the vampire was inspected and cut open. The vampire had long since passed out and all that remained was a butchered carcass that appeared absolutely and utterly dead. But, they all knew this was not the case, if it had been, there would only be dust.

Alucard's POV

Agghhh...ahhh!

And then silence, a terrible pain from somewhere within his throat. He was unable to make a sound. He couldn't even finish his inhalation. He was...cut off. What happened?! The pain in his neck was enough to temporarily distract him from the pain in his core but not for long. He felt his body healing. His neck, not so much, viscous blood seeped out of his neck wound. Something was in it, what? What was it? He still couldn't take any air into his lungs. He did need it but still, it was unsettling to say the least. And it hurt! The pain was agonizing! Before he knew what was happening, his core was sliced open again! This time silver, not only did it hurt from the cut but the blade itself, the silver, it seared his flesh and the pain didn't die down nor did the wound heal! The pain in his neck, unfathomable as it was, increased drastically as whatever was there was sharply wrenched away! He was able to scream and inhale just to be silenced again in the same way but with a silver whatever this time! He was distraught. Struggling with all he was worth, he only managed to tire himself out. It was useless. He was furious. Deep down though, the fury only masked his pain and terror. He was naked and exposed, he was restrained and bing cut into, he had absolutely no defense and no voice. If he could only scream, yell, anything, it might mitigate the pain but no, he was voiceless. He was ripped into mercilessly. His body ripped and broken. Pieces taken, stolen from his body. The agony was unceasing and then...nothing.

Abraham:

Pieces of the vampire were taken away for analysis. Everything had to be documented and tested. Abraham looked at his vampire. He stared at Dracula's motionless form on the table, or what was left of it. He was more of a mangled mess now. He would be given enough blood to reform but after that...well, he would be given enough to stay alive? A vampire wasn't alive really but also not dead...whatever. He would be given enough to keep him from turning to dust. He enjoyed Dracula's suffering. He had taken everything from him. His brides, his fledglings, his home. He'd even taken his freedom and autonomy! The once feared and powerful Dracula, King of Vampires, was stripped of all that he had. Abraham smiled to himself. A sick smile it was, as he pondered a little while longer. He'd changed Dracula's name to Alucard. A reverse of his former name. Not that he preferred the name, no, it was to take away Dracula's sense of self. He was no longer his own, he belonged to Abraham and the Hellsing family. They could do with him whatever they wished and he could do nothing about it. The vampire would be beaten and tortured and toyed with but he would also do their bidding. The perfect slave he'd be. Forever.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Lex

Present Day:

Lex lounged on her recliner... she only had one. It was tucked away in her walk-in closet. She loved her closet! One, because it had all her shoes! For every occasion! From stilettos to flip flops, literally everything. Two, there were outfits for every occasion as well. More so than even the shoes! She also had clothes from many cultures around the world. She needed to, it was...necessary for her job. But, past all the clothes and shoes, there was an old, worn, comfortable recliner. Hahaha she wasn't really hiding it for any reason other than the fact that it simply did not match the color scheme or design of the house. To be completely honest, the recliner was hideous... but whatever, she didn't care all that much, it was out of sight and in the confines of a closet. It was comfortable and that was why she kept it. It was a nice comfort for her of which she had few of. She had many luxuries, yes. In fact, she was soon to be a billionaire! She was well on her way but most of the money wasn't in a bank. Most of her fortune was buried in various places around the world but she also had several pricey assets in her name. Three of them to be precise. Lex owned and was licensed to fly her Embraer Legacy 650E, AH-64D Longbow Apache, and last but not least her CH-47D Chinook. She had a large helipad off to the right and set back a little from her modern industrial house. It wasn't a huge house but a fair size and quite immaculate. She kept the Chinook on that helipad and the Apache was stored with the Legacy at the local air hanger for all the other millionaires' private planes. Lex rarely used her Apache though and she didn't feel the need to continue paying for hanger space for an aircraft she wasn't using. She was rich and had extravagant things but she was no idiot. She liked nice and expensive things. Heck, Lex grew up dirt poor living in the streets and eating out of dumpsters to survive, she felt she deserved these luxuries now.

She was in her mid 30's now and she was a real estate owner. That was main source of her income...now. She owned properties all over America and Europe under the name Lex M. Armsen. That alone brought in about 68.3 million a year and that was 3 years ago when she calculated it last. Lex had made some risky business moves that proved rewarding and had almost doubled profits from the European properties! But in real estate, you have to have money to make money and she had nothing starting out.

She had and abusive single mother who kicked her out of the house at the age of 11. She roamed the streets of Baltimore and fell in with a small gang after a year or so. But still, no money. Eventually, an old rich man had gotten into trouble with her gang and found her digging in a dumpster for food scraps at dusk one night. He offered her $15,000 in cash to get rid of the gang.

She did, she killed them off 3 that night and 9 the next. She brought the man their dripping hearts in a black trash bag and took the cash. From then on, she was a mercenary, a gun for hire. She built up money for 9 years and then purchased her current house in cash under the name Lex Marrium Armsen The rest she used to buy a small motorcycle and a small apartment building. She was 23 then, and from there she grew her real estate properties exponentially on blood money. But now, she lived a comfortable life with her big walk-in closet, a fancy modern house; dark but still warm in some places, an infinity pool overlooking a well kept secluded lawn, her two car garage with a workshop loft above, and her plane and helicopters.

Lex sprawled on her closet recliner with a bottle of Screaming Eagle red wine in her lap. She wasn't drunk. Not yet anyway. She had just posted her Apache for sale and was getting all sorts of responses. She wanted to get rid of it within the week, yes, but for what? She had money...she wanted something more...a yacht? She didn't know yet but that could wait. For now she had a perfectly chilled bottle of Screaming Eagle and she intended to finish it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: An Interesting Proposal

Fourteen hours later, Lex woke with the worst hangover she'd had in quite while and an almost empty bottle of red wine. It was dark in the closet but she needed water. She slid off the recliner and lay crumpled on the floor the a wet rag.

She lay there for a bit and then rolled on to her knotting stomach. Lex gasped as she fought the urge to throw up. Once she felt the nausea subside a little, she drug herself forward one elbows and knees to the door. She reached up, feeling around for the knob. Her hand found it's prey and seized it. She was leaning on the door and as she twisted the door knob, she pitched forward, landing on forehead first on the carpet of her bedroom. Almost a full second passed before she let out a pained groan. It was too bright...but, she needed water. She crawled over to the bathroom and pulled herself up to the black granite sink top. She desperately brought her mouth under the stainless steel faucet. The motion activated faucet came to life and mercifully released a stream of blessed water. She drank like that, straight from the faucet, for some time before falling back to her knees on the floor and resting against the sink.

Later that day, when she had recovered a bit, she sat at the kitchen table. Her BFF, Heather, her only friend, sat there too. They were getting ready to go out to eat. As they strode across the stone stamped concrete patio, heather looked over and saw the Chinook perched on its helipad. She turned to Lex and excitedly asked if she'd found a buyer for the Black Hawk. "Ohhh I honestly got so drunk last night I forgot about it... lemme check my inbox..." Lex answered with equal enthusiasm.

Still walking, she pulled her phone out of her red purse. She was wearing a classy, mid length, black dress with gunmetal grey 2 in. heels. Heather, had a similar dress with sleeves coming just above her elbows and wearing red 2.5 in. heels. The shoes made Heather almost as tall as her friend, neither of the girls were short but they weren't tall either. Lex was 5' 7" and Heather was about 5' 6.5". They walked purposefully towards Lex's burgundy LaFerrari and slid inside, allowing the butterfly doors to hang open as Lex searched through her inbox. "I'll help you look" said Heather. "Mmkayy..." Lex responded distractedly. "Wait, what?! How do you have my email password?" She asked, clearly caught off guard. Heather laughed and explained how she was learning to hack, she told Lex that emails aren't hard to hack and she'd hacked Lex's a while ago. "Gee, thanks for the heads up..." she said rolling her eyes. Then Heather offered to secure it for her from other novice hackers at least and Lex gladly accepted. "Ohhh you got a guy from Dubai wanting it!!! I bet he'll pay a good price!! Exclaimed Heather. "Idunno, I want something else, like a trade...a helicopter for something I can't normally get..." said Lex. "While I drive, can you send a mass email to all the respondents saying that I'm looking for a trade, ask what they have to offer" she asked. "Sure thing, Lex! This should be interesting" Heather answered, already on the job.

After dinner, they checked the new responses. People were offering everything from yachts to properties, the most eye catching was a Columbus Sport Hybrid... Lex immediately sent an "I'm interested" text and kept looking. Heather laughed and handed Lex her phone. "This guy wants to trade for a vampire!!!" Heather was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. "He even wants to meet!" She choked out between fits of laughter. "Here let me respond!!" Lex said as she reached for the phone. "How about...I was really looking for a unicorn but okay let's see this "vampire"... hahaha, do you think he'll respond again?" Lex was laughing too as she asked Heather this question. They sent the message and continued the search. After they finished, they paid the dinner bill and went shopping.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Alucard

Rated M for Rape and Torture

Alucard's face was roughly scraped against the cold, grime covered stone floor. Again and again. He wasn't used much for hunting vampires anymore.

The new Hellsing heir was young, 25 years old. His name was Andrew. He had inherited Alucard seven years ago when his mother died. Andrew hadn't been very close to her and really, he hadn't been interested in carrying on his family's traditions. Now he was in charge. He had a nice sum of cash, a large house, and several servants including the Alucard who was really more of a slave than a servant. The past generations of the Hellsing family had used Alucard to hunt other vampires. He was kept in line by the seal, which, when Alucard disobeyed a command or failed to comply, would cause severe pain. The seal also allowed Andrew to controls the vampire's abilities...right now, the seal prevented Alucard from walking through walls, changing form, reading minds, and hypnosis as well as others but these were the most important things it did. Alucard was completely at his mercy and Andrew loved it. He and his friends used the money and the house and Alucard for whatever hedonistic desire came to them. Most of the time that desire involved getting waisted and or torturing/raping Alucard. Right now he and his two other friend were doing all three.

The evening started out with Andrew, Jacob, and Alesha taking shots of tequila but now, 3 hours later, Andrew was humping Alucard while Alesha and Jacob watched excitedly from the doorway of Alucard's chamber. Alucard was naked, he was always naked nowadays. Andrew insisted that Alucard be "fuck ready" whenever he might want him.

Alucard hadn't been fed in several weeks and was somewhat boney. He now lay limp and complyant in his master's rough grip. Andrew was holding him firmly by hips with both hands. Alucards knees were bent as his legs were spread apart, allowing Andrew better access. He had to hold himself in that position with his feet and keep his knees bent, but the rest of his body remained limp. He bent at the hips, where his master held him and his collarbone and head rested on the dirty floor. With every thrust, Andrew would pull back on Alucard's boney hips and drag his collarbone off the floor as his head slid back with the pull. The years of filth built up on the floor took a toll on his body, it was rough like sand and tore at his flesh. He had scratch and scuff marks on his shoulders and face as well as his knees. They weren't healing and he knew they wouldn't for a while. His wounds had been healing at a painstakingly slow rate since his master had thought it would be fun to take steel needles, dip the heads in silver, and hammer them into Alucard's inner iliums. He had lined the entire boned area in his pelvic region with the needles and the first half of them were steel so they stayed put while the silver half burned in his muscles and intestines. It took weeks for the initial cut to heal but after it had, Andrew claimed that "fucking you is more enjoyable now that it's a little warmer in there!" Not that he care that an eternal fire now raged inside the vampire and that his healing time was drastically decreased. Between that, and not being fed, Alucard had weeks worth of damage from beating and rapes ravaging his thin body. And now, he could only wait to see what this night would bring and what damage it would mound on top of the existing wounds.

Andrew soon tired of this and he pushed Alucard forward so that his face was forced into the filth as he slid forward onto his stomach. He let out weak, desperate sob but his master either didn't hear or heard and didn't care. He released the chain on Alucard's ankle. The shackle was an oval shape that was too large for Alucard's ankle. Silver spikes with iron tips made up the difference in size. The iron dug into his flesh already, if he were to bolt in an attempt to break free, the silve portion of the spikes would dig into him. It was very effective and with the iron portion already embedded in his flesh, it caused the vampire enough pain that he would rather just stay still if he could.

Alucard was unchained and drug by his black mop of hair to a dingy little shower area. There, he was deposited on the tile floor and roughly hosed off to remove the dirt and extra blood from the several unhealed wounds on the vampire's body. He lay there shivering with cold, hunger, pain, and fear. What? What had Andrew said?! There was an order, he had missed it. In an attempt to avoid further pain, the vampire tried to respond. "Please... master... repetați comanda!!" Alucard cried between sobs. He was in terrible agony and too hungry to think straight. He had fallen back into his native tongue towards the end of his plea. It was no use anyway, Andrew brought the power of the seal down on Alucard and suddenly there were no thoughts. He crumpled in complete blinding agony. When it lifted, Alucard was on his elbows and knees, throwing up, blood spewing from his mouth and streaming from his eyes and nose.

This time, Jacob took position behind Alucard. He and Andrew both had their pants off at this point and Alesha had brought her XL strap on. She opted to leave her underwear on under it but neither of her male friends seemed to mind since the vampire was the object of interest. The three of them took turns raping Alucard. Their heat warmed his cold body but it made his skin crawl. Their greedy hands grabbing him. He felt the boy's heat on and in him. He wanted to escape but there was no where to go. He was trapped in this horrific, endless nightmare. One of them would film it while the other two fucked and beat the vampire. This went on for an hour or so before they got bored. Again, Alucard, now sprawled on the floor in a puddle of his own blood and his tormentors' semen, was dragged back to his chamber by his hair. They chained him up and left him in the dark.

Alucard was hurting terribly. Between the silver in his body, the old wounds of previous uses, and tonight's use, he was in absolute desolation. The ankle shackle prevented him from drawing his left leg completely to his chest, but he did so with the right. He gingerly hugged his right knee to his chest and pressed his torn up back into the cold dirty wall of his cell. He wept bitterly, viscous bloody tears running down his sunken cheeks. In this starved state, his hands had mean claws that scraped at his own flesh. They provided him little comfort but he sat there on the floor hugging his knee to his boney chest with his clawed fingers holding gently to his thin arms anyway. He sat, shivering and sobbing and let the cold set deep into his aching bones.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Andrew

After chaining the vampire in his cell, the three of them got cleaned up and sent the maids to clean up the mess on the floor. The ordered pizza and went upstairs to Andrew's room to watch TV and play video games.

Jacob was beating Andrew and Alesha in Fortnight. They just started a new round and boarded the helicopter when he remembered that Andrew was trying to trade Alucard for a Black Hawk. The helicopter was owned by an American. Jacob hadn't dealt with any Americans before personally. The first thing that came to mind when Andrew said he was trying to do business with an American was food... and then guns, well they were almost equal. Americans like food and guns... right?

"Andrew, have you heard back from the American about the Helicopter?!" Jacob asked, eyes still glued to the computer screen in front of him. "Well... he said something about unicorns... and I...uhhhhh... got the feeling he doesn't believe I have a real vampire..." said Andrew, distractedly. Then Alesha spoke up, "Why don't you send a pictures and a video? He'll believe then... it would be so cool to have a helicopter!"

The boys considered her suggestion. It would be cool to have a helicopter...

After they finished their game, they went downstairs to wait for the pizza and to make a video of Alucard. Mostly they had a bunch of vampire rape porn videos... they needed new material. The pizza arrived and they set it in the dining room. Andrew went to fetch Alucard while his friends got the drinks ready.

Alucard sat in the far corner where his chain was, he had barely moved from the spot where they had deposited him. "Up vampire!" He barked. The vampire looked pathetic but he tried to get up. He grabbed the chain that tethered Alucard to the wall and unhooked it. He used the length of chain to rip Alucard's feet out from under him. Andrew laughed sadisticly whan Alucard fell but he was disappointed when the vampire said nothing.

Alucard's POV

His master laughed as he knocked the vampire on his back. The silver spikes dug painfully into his ankle but he said nothing. He didn't even utter a sound. His master then drug him from the room by this chain. The dirt on the floor invaded his raw wounds and stung. He still said nothing. He tried to leave to place in his mind, this awful place. There was too much pain and hunger and cold. The steps were the most painful. His body didn't slide over them easily and his head hit a few of them. He pulled his head in and tucked himself into a fetal position minus the leg he was being drug by. Fear paralyzed him... why was he being taken out again and why with the chain on him? The vampire was drug all the way to the hall outside the dining room. Andrew didn't want Alucard's dirty, bloody body was on the dining room carpet. "Okay, he's ready!!!" Andrew called in. "Sweet! We need a stick to put in his mouth so they can see his fangs!" Alucard figured it was Jacob that answered because the voice was masculine. Who were they showing him to he wondered. Before he could think anymore on the matter, a bar was jabbed into his mouth and his jaws were painfully pried apart. Questioning red eyes looked up at his master. Andrew took his picture. He then kicked the vampire over and pinned him on the ground with the same bar with his hands visible by his head. Andrew finally released him and explained that they wanted a video. He was to get to his feet when Andrew order it and do as he was told.

"Is the camera ready?" Andrew asked. Alesha confirmed and Andrew gave to order... "on your feet Alucard!" Alucard rose to his feet on shaky legs. "Arms out and turn around completely" Andrew ordered. Alucard finished and was roughly drug back to his chamber in the same manner her was brought out.

This time, Alucard did not cry...he was too tired. He again hugged his knee to his chest and eventually drifted off to sleep as day came.

Andrew's POV

It was a pretty good video he thought... they sent it and the pictures to the seller. The three of them crossed their fingers, hoping the seller would be interested...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Fuuuuck?

 **3 AM Eastern Time:**

Lex had fallen asleep on the couch at some point in the early afternoon while binge watching Parks and Recreation.

"Hhhhh I hate waking up like this... Damn I'm hungry... I'd kill for a steak..."

She picked up her phone to check her new messages. She squinted painfully at it.

"Ohhhh haha an email from Vampire Guy... this should be fun"

She opened it. It was a video? And pictures? ...of what appeared to be a very abused and scared vampire...

"The fuuuuck"

In one picture it's mouth was even pried open revealing fangs. They honestly looked real and so did the whip marks but then again makeup has come a long way...

"Uuuhhhh it's too early for this shit..."

She rolled over and fell asleep again.

ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ

 **5:23 AM eastern Time:**

Lex sat up in bed. She had rolled over onto her phone and it had left an imprint on her cheek that was a little painful. She remembered the strange email. Again, she turned on the phone and was momentarily blinded by its luminescent screen. Squinting, she opened the email. The pictures came up but the video was loading.

Lex looked at the photo a little closer. There was something quite disturbing about the blood makeup spattered on the ground behind the supposed vampire...

Lex, after accumulating wealth as a mercenary and using real estate as a coverup, had invested in her education. She achieved a 4 year degree in mechanical engineering but she was a double major. She also graduated with a biology degree that was set to "prepare her for a career in forensic pathology" or at least that's what she claimed. She wanted to know, at least a little more in depth, about human anatomy and physiology and with that, she wanted to throw in some criminology courses. She excelled at those courses because of her background as a mercenary. She knew her way around a persons insides and she knew how to pinpoint entrance and exit wounds of several weapons. But one very interesting thing she learned, something that she never noticed, was blood spatter identification.

She noticed the spots on the floor directly beneath the so called vampire. They were oddly perfect for the height from which they appeared to fall. The liquid wasn't too thin or it would have spread and splashed more. It wasn't too think or it wouldn't have made as much of a splash. It was just in the perfect range to appear as blood, actual blood. By this time the video loaded and she could watched the boy offering this "vampire" hit it in the face. Again, she searched for the blood spatter and again, she was not disappointed. She guessed at it's length and width and did some quick calculations. It fit within the medium velocity category of blood spatter in blunt force trauma. This certainly appeared to be blood. It looked very real...too real. Maybe it was real and if it was, vampire or not, this had to be stopped. She, Heather, and Ben were mercenaries, yes, and occasionally assasins but keeping a person in this state with old bruises that testified to how long he or she had been kept there was something not even they would stand for.

Lex forwarded the message to Ben and Heather and promptly drug herself out of bed to find food. It was 5:30 AM now and she was starving.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Ben

(Just an intro to Ben)

Benjamin S Watson, Ben for short. He was 6' 1" with dark brown hair and eyes to match. He was naturally tan from his father's side. His eyes were an intense grey-blue. He met Lex and Heather when they were all kids. Each had a rough home life and had taken to the streets. Lex brought them under her wing so to speak and showed them the ropes. They were little mercenaries before they even knew the term. He was older than Lex by 2 years and Heather by 3.

Ben, like Heather and Lex, had invested in an education for himself. He had a degree in law and was working towards his doctorate. The three of them, though rarely working on missions together were an excellent team. All of them good shots and excellent marksmen. They trained together in close quarters combat and even looked at cases together to determine how kills should go down and how to approach each mission. They were the best of friends.

Despite how long they had been in the merc business, they were still haunted by their deeds... all except Lex, it didn't seem to bother her... not much anyway. She enjoyed "making bad people hurt the way she had to hurt" and she particularly enjoyed dragging out the kill. But she too enjoyed a distraction from it. They all used real estate or business to cover up all the money they raked in but they had other hobbies to help them blow off steam. Ben enjoyed working on his vehicles and writing poetry. Heather would spend hours applying nail polish and making intricate designs as well as archery. She was particularly good with a long bow and it was her weapon of choice when hunting deer and smaller game. Lex enjoyed extreme sports like skydiving and freestyle rock climbing but she also designed and made her own knives. They each, however, loved their music loud...

Ben got Lex's email around 5:30 AM while working in his shop. He was fixing a muffler on one of his motorcycles with music blaring and turned all the way up so that he could feel the beat of the bass through the floor. His chest seemed to rattle to the beats of the songs and made him feel as though he could be something else for a while. It was an escape. But sometime around 5:30 AM, his music softened to allow for the bing of the new email to be heard. He continued his work until he got to a good stopping point and got up to check his phone. It was Lex. He knew she was looking to trade the black hawk for the yacht but he also knew about the prankster with the vampire. He opened the email.

Ben skimmed the pictures as the video loaded and did a double take. He zoomed in on the first picture. The eyes, the red eyes looked so... broken. There was blood at the corners of his eyes like tears. He looked at the video and was sickened. The poor figure that looked so broken was hit hard across the face sending blood out from his mouth and onto the floor and wall behind him. He was actually being hit, it wasn't an act, the head snapped back painfully and bloody tears were actually running down the face now. It's matted hair was ripped backwards. The figure's mouth gaped open in a silent scream of agony and a bar was shoved into it's mouth, again revealing the fangs shown in the first picture. The bar was roughly ripped out, busting the being's upper lip. The "vampire was ordered to his feet and made to turn around showing his full, emaciated form, completely naked and covered in open wounds and dark bruises.

He hit reply and quickly shot an email back to Lex:

 _Lex, is this legit?! We all need to discuss this... it's your chopper but this looks pretty real. Idk if it's a vamp or not but whatever it is, if that's really the state it's in, we need to do something. Let's meet for lunch on the beach outside your house and discuss it. I'll bring pizza. Let me know what time after you talk to Heather. Ttyl. Ben._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Deal

 **12:30 PM Eastern Time**

Lex, Ben, and Heather sat on beach towels in Lex's beach front backyard. The was a 10' rocky drop off with concrete steps leading down to the sandy shoreline. Even at high tide, there was about 9' of sand before meeting the water. It was currently at low tide but it was chilly and the waves were choppy from an oncoming storm. They sat out on the beach anyway, with sweats and a small fire in the sand. The wind hadn't really picked up yet and they were enjoying tuna sandwiches while discussing the video and pictures.

"Did you guys notice the blood spattering? I think it's real blood... what do you guys think?" Lex asked.

"I don't know, but in the second picture, where it had it's hands pinned by its head, did you see it's nails... they are weird..." said Heather.

"Didn't notice" said Lex.

"What's weird about them?" Ben asked Heather.

"They were... like glass... and... like claws... I don't think it's human... I don't know it's just strange..." Heather drifted into thought.

"Well I do know he was actually being hit in the video" said Ben, "it was too real."

"Well what do you guys want to do?" Lex asked.

"I think we can all agree we need to intervene" said Heather.

Ben nodded and Lex said, "I think I'll arrange a meeting, we'll trade the Black Hawk for this... vampire or whatever it is."

"Sounds good to me" said Ben.

"I'll let the yacht guy know that I went with another trade" said Lex.

 **2:00 PM Eastern Time**

Lex replied to the vampire seller.

 _I'm interested in the vampire, I want to meet as soon as possible and I have arranged for my Black Hawk to be shipped out tomorrow. It will arrive at England in 2 days and after that I can meet you. I will fly it to an airport close to you and meet you there. The deal will take place there. If I should take the vampire, I expect to have information on him written down and I want any of his belongings: clothes, coffin, etc. Let me know when you can meet._

 _Regards,_

 _Lex_

 ** _7:02 PM London Time_**

Andrew was delighted to get the reply and somewhat surprised to find that it was a woman making the deal though he didn't know why it surprised him. He could barely contain his excitement! He had been mad when his mother sold their helicopter even though he knew they needed the money... but soon he would have one again!

This was cause for celebration! He called up his friends and they decided to have a party. They came over and of course, Alucard was their play thing.

Andrew responded to Lex:

 _Greetings Lex,_

 _My name is Andrew, thanks for the offer. You can meet me at Gatwick Airport south of London. We can meet at 4PM my time... I think that's 12 PM for you. See you in two days!_

 _Andrew_

 **2 days later:**

Lex got up at 2AM and drove to the air hanger where she kept her Legacy 650E. By 3Am they were already in the air and heading to Philadelphia. The Legacy didn't have enough range in the tank to go from St. Andrew Beach in Georgia all the way to Gatwick airport in London. They needed to fly to Philadelphia, refule, and head to Gatwick from there. The total air time would be about 9 hours. They would get there almost exactly at 12 PM or 4PM London time. The flight was long and they traded on and off pilot and copilot/navigator.

When they finally flew into Gatwick, they saw 3 cars parked near each other off to one end. The Black Hawk was alright there as Lex had ordered. It sat in the field looking regal and as sleek as ever. As the Legacy touched down, Lex looked at the time on her phone. (London: 4:03 PM) excellent she thought, fashionably late!

The jet rolled to a stop. They dropped the stairs and exited the plane. Andrew, stepped out of his car, followed by Alesha and Jacob. Andrew excitedly watched as Lex and her two friends approached at a brisk pace.

"Hello Ms. Lex!" Cheered Andrew. "My name is Andrew, and these are my friends, Jacob and Alesha." They each shook her hand as he introduced them. Lex looked them directly in the eyes and gave them a bone crushing handshake and inwardly laughed as they looked down at their hands. She intentionally refused to introduce her friends and they stood a few feet behind her with arms crossed over their chest and feet shoulder width apart as rehearsed. It was an intimidation tactic that almost always worked.

Alucard watched all of this nervously from the passenger seat of his master's car. He was thankful for the sheet Andrew had given him, it provided him some privacy and shelter from the sun. It hurt to sit because Andrew and his friends had decided to hold what they called a "fuckathon" where they raped and tormented the vampire all night. His legs were now shaky and unsteady. Every step sent pain shooting through him. Even sitting there in the car hurt. He was scared. What did this new master want with him? What new tortures lay in store for him?

He trembled and tears began to form at the corners of his eyes. His new master was wearing spiked heels and a blue and black leather jacket with leather straps hanging off and a black scarf. She looked preppy and aloof. Her friends or bodyguards stood behind her in similar outfits, leather and denim. His new master wore smoky black eyeshadow that made her gaze intimidating. It wasn't gaudy or too dark but subtle and accented her almost black eyes. The other female was mostly hidden from his position but the male was tall and muscular with cut-off sleeves on his leather jacket. He was a man, not the boyish look of his current master. Alucard shuddered at the pain this man could cause him. A bloody tear slid down his cold cheek. Andrew motioned towards the Alucard and then turned to get him. He hauled Alucard roughly out of the car and onto his feet. The Alucard whimpered as sunlight seared his naked feet and shins. He quickly lowered the sheet to cover himself completely.

Lex looked at Alucard. She walked up to him and stared directly into his scared eyes. She liked him over and saw the blood from several wounds staining the thin white sheet he clutched around himself. She returned her gaze to his eyes. She was thinking about the situation. Should she accept it? Should she just take the vampire or whatever it was and leave? No...there was the seal, she needed to have it transferred to her. She realized she was still staring into the being's face before her and it was making him nervous. She looked away and then looked back at him. This was no human, it had red eyes and they weren't contacts. There was intense fear there, she could feel his fear... almost smell it. He was terrified.

"I accept your offer" she said. "Transfer the seal and sign this receipt of purchase." Lex ordered. Andrew did so without hesitation. Much to Lex's surprise, the vampire almost doubled over with a keening screech. The seal transfer must be painful she thought, with a pang of guilt.

After the receipt was signed she turned towards her new vampire "wait inside the plane, the windows offer 100% protection from UV radiation from the Sun. You will be more comfortable there. Wait inside for us." The vampire limped to the plane, following his new master's orders. Lex didn't miss the limp, after the vampire left, she asked Andrew about the wounds and the limp.

"Well, he used to be used to hunt other vampires. But now we just use him as a fuck toy and something to beat on." Answered Andrew. Lex was visibly disgusted. "What is his name?" She asked. "Alucard" Andrew answered. Lex was irritated, "his real name". "Oh, Dracula, I think it's Vlad Dracula" said Andrew. "Like Vlad the lmpaler Dracula or another Vlad Dracula?" Asked Heather. "Umm, I think the Imaper" answer Andrew.

There was an uncomfortable silence and then Lex said, "If I have any further questions I'll contact you."

With that, she left, headed toward her private jet and her friends followed.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Dracula

(In this chapter I am using a crossover for appearance. Dracula appears as he does in Van Helsing because that appearance aligns more closely with an actual description of Vlad III Dracula by Pope Pius II)

Alucard stood just inside the doorway of the plane as he waited for his new master. She was outside on the tarmac speaking with his former master, Andrew. The bright sunlight hurt his vampiric eyes but he desperately wanted to see what was going on. Lex, he was pretty sure that was his new master's name, was speaking to Andrew. Her other two friends were standing just a little behind her on either side and leaned into the conversation as though they were involved in it as well. Alesha and Jacob seemed a little preoccupied and disinterested but gave an occasional glance at Alucard.

Alucard was scared... the way Lex had looked at him... through him, with those cold, cruel, dead eyes scared him. Andrew and his friends were mean and sadistic but Lex's eyes, despite her otherwise non-threatening appearance, screamed ruthless and implacable. He shuddered at the visual memory.

His master had finished talking, she and her friends approached the plane. As they did so, Alucard shrank back against the black sink. They continued their approach and Alucard became more desperate to get away. He slid left, back still pressed against the sink and now the cabinets behind him. Suddenly, with very little grace, the vampire crashed backwards without the support of the cabinets against his back to support him, and landed on the floor in the small space between the cabinet area and the first dining seat. He felt safe there, boxed in tightly on 3 sides and less visible to the quickly approaching humans. The sunlight glowed warmly on the burgundy carpeting. It touched Alucard but didn't burn him. His new master had assured him it wouldn't, she said it was "completely UV free inside" and that the sunlight wouldn't harm him. He had been skeptical but now he could see that she had been telling the truth. He curiously reached his hand into the light, marveling at the warmth of it. He felt the rich burgundy carpeting beneath him. It felt soft and clean against his bare, grimy body. The sheet had landed on top of him when he fell. It covered his shoulders down to his feet. All that stuck out was his left hand that was still enjoying the sunlight, his head, and his taloned toes. The nails or actually claws now, on his hands and feet were badly in need of trimming. Unfortunately there were many things the vampire needed. Food, a bath, clothes, and medical attention. The first of the humans walked by. A male. He was taller than the vampire and had a muscular build. Unlike his former master, this male had the figure of a man. He stopped to look at Alucard who immediately began to hiss. Ben went to put his laptop in the dining table and then walked back past Alucard into the cockpit. Next came a female. Alucard's hissing culminated in a hysterical keening as she took the seat he was hiding beside. She was looking down at him from around the chair and he was not having it. Finally his master boarded and closed the stairway. She casually regarded the keening vampire and looked at Heather who was unintentionally provoking the behavior.

Lex addressed Heather, "Heather, can you please go and prepare one of the couches in the back for our vampire here? He must rest."

Heather nodded and got up, moving towards the end of the plane. Lex stepped directly in front of the vampire and looked down at him. "Hush vampire, this is unnecessary... none of us are going to harm you" she told him.

Alucard quieted down and looked up at his master. She was looking at him with those piercing eyes. He averted his gaze and looked back at his knees under the sheet. "Vampire" his master spoke "I need you to get up and get in a seat. We are going to take off and I need you in a seat with a seatbelt on... Heather will get you after it is safe to get up and take you back to the bed she has set up for you. I'll come visit you shortly." With that, Lex reached towards the Alucard with her hand extended palm up. He regarded her hand fearfully but eventually took it. She pulled him to his feet and guided him into the chair Heather had been sitting in. Lex fixed the sheet around the dirty, trembling vampire and hooked his seatbelt into place. "I'll be back to see you soon, when Heather comes to get you, I want you to be nice. She's not going to hurt you."

Lex left the very surprised vampire where he was and joined Ben in the cockpit. Ben sat in the copilot's chair. "Hey Ben, would you mind piloting? Heather will copilot and navigate once we get it in the air. I'm going to get our vamp settled in for the trip home." Lex waited for Ben's response though she already knew he would accept. "Of course, don't mind at all!" He said, and got up to move into the pilot's seat.

ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ

Alucard's POV again

He looked up at his master after she shushed him. He knew punishment was coming, she would likely hit him. But she said none of them would harm him??? Was it true or was it just a cheap lie to build his trust only to tear it down in a humiliating and painful confrontation later on. Masters loved to do that. It made him sick. He didn't know what to expect from her. She was telling him to get up but he was still so weak he didn't know if he could. Did she just say Heather was fixing a bed? For him? Not to rape him on but for him to rest on? No, surely she hadn't. Past master's had made it quite clear that the vampire would rest on the floor and would be grateful if provided his coffin, but never a bed... she must have meant something else... a hand... her hand... master's hand. It was reached for him. He flattened himself against the wall and tried not to cry out, stress building inside him to the point he thought he would explode. Bloody tears threatened to stain his pale skin. He knew what was expected now and afraid of punishment, he timidly took his master's hand. He squeezed his eyes closed expecting pain but he was instead, gently lifted to his feet and guided to a sitting position. Then, master readjusted his sheet and strapped him into the chair. He panicked, an unnecessary breath hitching in his throat and raw terror in his eyes as he desperately looked up at master for an explanation. All he got was "be nice to Heather" and his master disappeared into the cockpit. Within a minute or two, the plane engine roared to life and he quaked with fear of what could and would happen to him. He wasn't sure how long exactly but soon Heather came through the curtain and unclipped his seatbelt. She helped him across the plane to the back where she had prepared a makeshift bed for him on the right couch. She sat him down on it and told him to make himself comfortable. Then she left and he was just sitting there puzzled. She hadn't hurt him... hadn't tried to rape him... she hadn't even touched or looked at him inappropriately. He was thankful for it, yes, but scared what it might mean. This had to be some kind of trick or game.

ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ

Heather came back to trade places with Lex. Lex thanked her and got up to go check on the vampire.

He was sitting on the bed hugging his knees when she saw him. She knew very little about Vlad the Impaler and even less about vampires. This would be a lengthy and tedious learning experience. She was exhausted, having piloted during most of the flight to Gatwick, she really didn't feel like diving head first into the, very obviously abused and broken vampire's/man's psyche. She stood there regarding him for a few minutes. He squirmed a little uncomfortably under her gaze and she was again aware that her gaze was scaring him. She looked over to the couch adjacent to his, strode over to it, and dropped onto it. Then she rolled over facing away from him and fell asleep.

Heather left the cockpit to go get a bathroom break. With the bathroom set behind the couches she had to pass Lex and the vampire. She walked in cautiously and silently not wanting to disturb anything. The vampire was still huddled on top of the blankets watching Lex nervously. "Has She spoken to you yet?" She asked the vampire. He shook his head no.

"Lex! Lex, get up! Your vampire needs attention. He's stressed out and waiting for you to finish talking to him" Heather demanded as she kneed Lex.

"Hhhhhhhhh, I was taking a very quick nap because unlike you, I didn't get any sleep on the trip over here!" Lex growled.

"I'll speak with him privately after you get back from the bathroom" Lex said, sitting up. She was listening to her music. It was a Disturbed song, Haunted. Alucard could hear the song and it only scared him more...how could master sleep to songs like that?!

 _...My blood is cold as ice_

 _Or so I have been told_

 _Show no emotion, and it can destroy your soul_

 _Another sacrifice_

 _To a tormentor your world wouldn't understand_

 _Turn away again_

 _You're angered, so am I_

 _A thousand fires burn_

 _A land of darkness from which I cannot return..._

It was terrible. He shivered again and hugged his knees tighter. Heather returned from the bathroom. As she passed she gave the vampire a comforting smile.

Lex leaned forward with her elbows resting on her knees.

"What is your name, vampire?" She asked.

What should he say? Whatever you wish to call me master? Alucard? Or Dracula, Vlad III? He quickly decided to answer with, "my former masters called me Alucard". "I did not ask what your previous masters called you, I asked for your name... what is your name, vampire?" Lex asked again. Fear crept in... he'd given the wrong answer...what would she do to him?! What was the punishment?!

"M... ma... ster... my name... my name is Vlad III Drăculea..." he stammered fearfully.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Dracula Part 2

"You are Vlad III Dracula? The Impaler?" Lex asked.

The vampire nodded with a "yes master" his eyes staring at the floor.

Lex was surprised... she guessed she had to believe it... he fit the description she guessed and probably would fit it better when he wasn't emaciated.

"Okay, Drăculea, my name is Lex. Ben is currently piloting my jet and Heather is copiloting. You will meet them later. She extended her hand in a hand shake and again, the vampire fearfully took it. He expected a bone crushing handshake like the one she'd given Andrew but it never came. Instead it was gentle but still firm. Drăculea looked at master again, still avoiding eye contact but trying to get a closer look at her. Lex noticed and felt bad. She knew full well that she had an incredibly piercing stare. She looked away, as one would when speaking to a scared stray dog, allowing him to gaze upon her without fear. Or at least mostly without fear. He did take the opportunity to look at his new master. Even sitting there, elbows on her knees, there was a strength to her, a power and grace. She carried herself with pride and it was noticeable. He felt threatened by her presence and leaned back into the couch.

"Drăculea" she said, "I spoke with Andrew, he told me how he and his friends used you... I am truly sorry for what you have been through."

He had heard this before... it was a cruel trick indeed. They would make him feel safe and then turn around and hurt and humiliate him. He wanted to hiss and attack her! To hurt her before she could hurt him first! But he knew the seal would prevent him from harming her and that it would only bring him excruciating pain. To his alarm he found himself keening at her... she didn't looked angry at him though. She said simply, "I don't expect you to trust me Drăculea, I only ask that you watch my actions and their actions and give us a chance to prove to you, that you will not be harmed anymore." He looked at her, still pressing himself against the chair, she was getting up to come towards him! He leaned further away but soon he could go no further! What was she going to do?!

"Eat, it is my understanding that you have not been fed in some time. You must eat but do not take too much, I have a long flight ahead of me." She said. He was dumbfounded. She was offering blood?! But where?? There was no knife... no master ever let him bite them! She would punish him... it was a trick! Like holding steak in front of a starving dog but behind a glass door... but he needed this... no... she was watching.

Lex, again, turned away. She had her arm outstretched and she knew it would be easier for him to accept if she didn't look. She waited like that for at least 2 minuets. She saw out of the corner of her eye, Drăculea, creeping forward. He paused... closer... this would be really creepy if I wasn't the one allowing it she thought. Then a cold, exceptionally cold, hand grasped her's. It wasn't a harsh grip... she'd expect a harsh grip and a quick, painful bite. But he had taken it gently... like a person holding a soft fruit. She felt a cool exhale on her skin. She heard his mouth open and felt teeth, fangs, graze the skin of her wrist.

He paused, expecting her to pull away, to use the seal against him... but she did not. He bit her, gently. It must have hurt, he had to bite hard enough to pierce the skin but she didn't flinch. She didn't seem to mind or even notice. He drank gently, not sucking, though he wanted to... his mouth was pressed over the wound in her wrist but he was not sucking, he was gently lapping up the blood as it bled out of her. It was heavenly! He closed his eyes, his starved body praising every precious drop, he felt his insides trying to heal where the silver was, his undead hear fell, he could not heal, not very well, not with silver in him... at least it would repair a little of the external damage...

Why wasn't he healing she wondered... aren't vampires supposed to heal? Maybe it took longer than she thought. He continued to drink for a few minutes and then stopped, using his tongue to close the bite wound. Lex was perplexed... shocked that he had healed the bite but even more shocked that _he_ had barely healed at all. "Th...thank you master..." he rasped. She looked down at him, examining his back and the numerous unhealed whip marks. "Why aren't you healing?" She asked.

"... please... master... don't hurt me..." he begged as he lowered himself to his stomach before her, submissively. "Drăculea..." she continued, impatiently. Lex didn't have all day, she wanted to rest before it was her turn to fly but she realized now that caring for the vampire, for Vlad, was her responsibility. She had traded her Black Hawk... not for a nice, luxurious yacht... no, she traded it for this broken, cowering vampire in front of her. She pretty much trade a $30,000,000 piece of machinery for an abused dog. She was becoming more irritated by the second and Drăculea was still begging her not to torture him this evening... he was asking for this first night to rest... what the heck did he think she was going to do to him?!

"I'm not going to do anything right now!" She snapped, "just tell me what's wrong..." she softened her words as she trailed off, feeling a little guilty as he cowered in front her, whimpering as she yelled at him.

"Ma.. ster" his voice broke as he explained, "former master... put silver needles into me, into bone..." he then rolled over, showing her where they were and indirectly giving her full view of his manhood which was more that a little awkward. She cleared her throat, "there are silver needles stuck in your pelvis?"

"Yes master" he responded quietly, a soft whimper following.

"Hhhhhhhhh" Lex wasn't happy... she was furious that Andrew would do such a thing and irritated by the further inconvenience was to her. The needles would, obviously, have to be removed. But how? He was scared to death and begging her not to hurt him. She would need to cut him open to get them out and she really didn't want to do that with him conscious. She looked down at the crying, whimpering vampire on the couch. He continued his incessant begging for mercy.

Well, she needed to remove the needles before the blood bank delivery came the next morning. The blood would heal him but only if the silver was out of him. He was tired, hungry, and weak... yes...this might work.

Lex had a plan... not flawless by any means... to be honest it was quite rudimentary. But any plan was better than no plan. She had no anesthesia and even if she did, she doubted it would work. The vampire breathed but it was obviously a comfort thing, he didn't need to and would occasionally stop breathing if he was overly traumatized... he'd just sit there without a single breath. Because of this, she knew he wasn't using the oxygen, the breath was simply to allow him to speak and to comfort him. The anesthesia would do nothing, oxygen exchange didn't occur in his lungs and therefore the anesthesia would never reach his bloodstream.

She recalled being shot fatally several years back. Ben and Heather had fixed her up. But they'd given her an oxycodone. It definitely took the pain away but it made her really nauseous and when she'd gotten up to get some water she'd passed out on the floor... she hoped it had the same effect on Drăculea.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: How to Drug a Vampire

The plane ride home went relatively smoothly. After Lex took and nap and traded spots with Heather, Heather had gone back to the dining table to watch The Office. She had downloaded almost and entire season of it and planned on getting through them. About a quarter of the way through the season, Vlad staggered out from the couch cabin and was looking around with a confused and bewildered expression. He had fallen asleep and then woke up after a nightmare, unsure of his new surroundings. He recognized Heather and stopped in his tracks. She smiled warmly at him.

"Hi Drăculea, how are you feeling?" She asked.

He looked at her, it was odd to be addressed in this way... no one ever cared how he was feeling. "I am... fine, thank you..." he said, faltering for her name.

"Heather, my name is Heather. And Lex is your new Master and Ben is our friend too." She told him. "Come, sit down!" She motioned to the seat across from her.

He limped reluctantly across the floor. Heather noticed his limp immediately and remembered Andrew saying how the would rape the vampire, they must have done it recently she thought as she ran to his side. He stopped, worried as she ran towards him. He shrank away from her, expecting pain but instead he felt her support at his side. He was shocked that he touch was one of comfort. There was no pain in her touch and seemed to be no malicious intent in her actions. As she helped him sit down he looked up at her questioningly. "Sorry... I forgot... about... uhhh... ummm... Andrew said he uhhh... you know... I should have guessed you'd be hurting" she felt bad bringing it up, he had looked down in embarrassment and humiliation as she spoke. "Anyway... I'm watching The Office. It's about an American office and the workers, it's kinda nice just to sit and watch it" she said, turning the laptop towards him. "Mind if I try and brush out your hair? It's kind of knotty..." she asked and was pleased when he nodded.

Heather did her best to make him feel more comfortable and relaxed. By the time Ben and Lex landed the plane in Philadelphia, Heather had not only gotten the knots out of Drăculea's hair, she also coaxed him into talking a bit about his past. He was very vague of course, he hinted that the Turks had also raped him but Heather didn't press the topic as he tersely moved on to his military training. She noticed that he particularly enjoyed talking about his nobility and status. She could tell that at one point he had been quite proud... though he had been a brutal ruler, and there was no doubt about that, she was sad to see how he'd been treated and degraded as a captive up until current position.

He and Heather continued talking as the jet touched down. When the aircraft came to a stop, Lex and Ben stepped out of the cockpit. Drăculea looked up at them, startled. He looked to Heather who reassured him as she turned to greet Lex and Ben.

"How we lookin'" she asked.

"Haaa we're on empty! Ben and I are going to refuel we'll be back in a bit!" Lex called as she walked down the stairs and onto the tarmac.

 **At home:**

It was almost 3 AM by the time Lex swerved into her driveway with Ben and Heather close on her tail. "Heather and Lex are bringing your coffin and soil. "Let's get you inside and cleaned up a bit," said Lex as she helped Drăculea out of her car. He was still timid around her but she couldn't blame him after the Andrew described their treatment of him.

She walked him up the stone path leading to the front entrance. A small grove of pines and some deciduous trees surrounded the front and sides of the house that worked to hide the beach from the view of anyone on the front lawn. The vampire watched his bare feet closely to avoid stepping on any rocks that may have been kicked up onto the path. There were none, and he finally made it to the door with Lex's help.

Drăculea was amazed by the view that greeted him. Lex's house, while not as large as Hellsing Manor was very large but also oddly inviting. It was warmer than Hellsing Manor, not in textures perse, but by the atmosphere. It wasn't quite sterile but it wasn't entirely warm and cute either. It certainly had many attractive qualities though. He admired the small courtyard visible from the doorway. To the left he could see a wide, black, steel staircase leading to the upper two floors. To the right, however, was a large open area. That area appeared to be the main entertainment and gathering area. It was uniquely furnished with comfortable looking lounging chairs and a marble statue of a woman clad in ancient clothing. There was a large open air book shelf with many volumes to choose from! Outside, he could see a cobblestone patio decorated with many leafy plants and chairs. Lex noticed him looking and told him that there was a pool there as well. She also assured him that the windows were completely UV proof. He would be safe walking around in the house during the day and he would even be able to watch the sunrise if he wished.

Lex guided him up the steps to his new room and straight to the bathroom. She was tired and even though she was trying to be very nice, she didn't have time to wait around for him moving like pond water. She lifted the surprisingly light vampire up and into the tub. It was a nice bathroom, possibly even nicer than her's. This was understandable though, the guest bedroom was meant to entertain anyone coming over... it had to be perfect... Lex's was more... lived in.

She removed his sheet and threw it in the by the door to be disposed of. She told him to run himself a warm bath. She didn't want to do it for him for two reasons... the first being most important, she didn't want to make it too cold or too hot for him. She didn't know much about vampires and figured he could handle choosing the temperature. The second reason was that she didn't want to be standing over his bone-thin naked self while she waited for the tub to get full... it was just awkward...

Lex didn't really have a problem with nakedness but she didn't like the vulnerability in it. Knowing he had been sexually abused made it worse and she didn't want him to be uncomfortable.

When the bath was full. She came over and shut off the water. She was glad to feel it's warmth and Drăculea had sunk down into the tub so that only upwards of his nose was visible above the water. That was fine, she planned on having him wash most of his body anyway, she'd wash his back and hair but that was it... she needed to find the oxycodone and get the bar downstairs converted into a makeshift operating table.

 **Drăculea's point of View**

Drăculea's body relaxed in the warm water as he gave into the exhaustion that was quickly consuming him. He was hungry, nervous, and tired. He was completely exposed and had nothing to his name save his coffin and soil and even those things were rarely accessible for him. Masters always used it as a means to keep him in check and desperate. It was in bad shape. He wanted to fix it... but there was no way... his masters had kept it in a damp dungeon like his own had been and the pain had started to peel and holes had been eaten in the wood by some kind of insect. He cried inwardly at the condition of his coffin and his lack of means to do anything about it. He had absolutely no power... he was a slave.

Master, Lex, came back into the bathroom carrying some bottles in her arms. He could smell them, they smelled... good... clean. He could read the word shampoo on one of the bottles. "I figured you would want men's products, I had to go find where Ben keeps his shower stuff for when he comes to visit. Found em'!" Lex said, setting the contents on the counter behind her.

He stared up at her from just above the water's surface. She handed him a washcloth and soap. "I'm just going to wash your back and hair, you can do the rest, right?" She asked. He closed his eyes and nodded.

At least he was spared some shred of dignity.

He felt her pour a fair amount of shampoo onto his head. This had been done to him before... he couldn't remember which master or why but they had been very rough and pulled his hair quite hard while doing it. He grit his teeth waiting for pain but none came. Instead, he felt human fingernails rake gently at his scalp. They massaged the shampoo through his long hair before carefully poured warm water over it to rinse it out. This new master was clearly paying close attention not to get the soapy water in his eyes. He was shocked by the gentleness of her touch... it felt sooo... good. It felt comforting, her washing his hair... he wished she wouldn't stop. But she finished washing it and conditioning it and she finished with his back and left the bathroom. Before she left, she demonstrated how to firmly wrap a towel around his waist and told him to meet her downstairs by the bar when he was done.

He didn't want to go down there... it was safe here. Here in this tub... safe... warm. But he had to go... he lingered for a bit but eventually got up to go see master at the bar.

 **Lex POV**

Lex finally found the stupid oxycodone pills. She decided to give him two... it was a lot... for anyone but especially a very very thin person. But... she needed him sedated.

She turned around to see her vampire slinking down the stairs. His thin frame was hunched and he was moving slowly. She couldn't help but be irritated by this. He moved like he thought some sort of punishment awaited him. Which to her honestly made no sense... if you know something bad is going to happen, just take it head on. Hhhhhhh, but to each his own she guessed. Nothing bad would happen to him, she wouldn't harm him... at least not while he was conscious and anyway it was for his own good.

She took the pills and a glass of water and strode purposefully towards Drăculea. Wait... can vampires drink water??? She didn't know...

"Ummmm... sorry, are you able to drink water? If not I can get some blood..." Lex held the water out to Vlad awkwardly and then pulled back questioning the water. He accepted the water and she handed him the pills. "Take these" she said.

He took them in his hand, looking at them. He looked up at her nervously, "what are they" he asked.

"Painkillers" she said.

Painkillers! He wasn't sure what painkillers were actually... did they kill with pain?! "Do they... hurt badly?" His eyes searched her's for an answer, for emotion. There was none, there was almost never any emotion in her eyes.

Lex was silent... "do they hurt" he had asked if they hurt... what? Had he never been given any painkillers? "No, no, they take away pain... like kill the pain" she explained to him. "You are in pain so I am giving you this medicine to help you feel better."

He accepted this explanation and swallowed the pills with the water.

"Master... what is this place?" He asked her, looking up at the tall ceilings and metal platforms. "Uhh... it's kinda like a rec room. If you are referring to the style, this is modern industrial, it's an old factory of some sort with several additions and an attached four car garage with a loft... but this room we are in now, I or actually the three of us call it Shake-Weighty because...well that's a long story... I'll tell you about it later. On the house plans though it was called The Bastille because I had its walls reinforced. It has the original factory walls here on the inside but actually they are three feet thick with steel and concrete. That's that's why there's that overhang in the doorway over there. The widows and glass doors are bulletproof. There are two massive drop down doors over there in the main doorway and several hidden exits here. This is built to withstand heavy attack. If for some reason you are in danger and none of us are around to defend you, you can come in here and pull that lever behind that picture over there. That will release the drop doors and effectively seal off the entrance. Then, if you are worried they will get through, however unlikely that is, you may use any of the 6 escape routes here. They all lead out but it is an extensive network, I wouldn't use it unless you absolutely need to."

"I'll show you the exits later" she said. "Right now, I'll take you to our little cinema area... we all have nice houses but mine is the main hangout I guess." She lead him down a hall to a small private theater. "Here, Heather said you were watching The Office?" She turned on the show for him. "I'll be back in a half hour, please just stay here and rest for a little while."

Lex, though a little worried about him, had a lot to take care of. Heather and Ben had gone out to get some hardened wax sticks at Walmart as well as new paint and sealer. There were unloading the supplies and already washing and using the wax sticks to fill in the small holes peppering the coffin. While they sanded over the wax and re painted the coffin, Lex quickly threw together a wooden frame with a plexiglass bottom and plexiglass top covering. This would hold the vampire's soil. On top of this, his coffin would be placed. The plexiglass allowed for the soil to be seen but it would keep it from damaging the floor and damaging the coffin. She had heather paint it and then the three of them used hairdryers to speed up the drying process. When they were finished drying, Heather and Ben would haul it upstairs to Drăculea's new room and place it nicely on the floor. The soil was to be poured in and pressed. An elegant pattern would be pressed into the dirt and the plexiglass cover would be placed over this. When that was done, the refurbished coffin would be placed on top of this platform.

After lex finished the frame and cut the two sheets of plexiglass, she sent it out to Heather and Ben to paint while she went to go check on Vlad.

He was looking quite relaxed... she knew the medication was working. "Drăculea" she called. "I need you to complete a few of these exercises for me" she ordered while demonstrating a jumping jack.

Drăculea, though looking tired, got up to complete his master's order. Aaannd fell over. Lex caught him before he hit the floor.

"Excellent!"

She flipped the limp Vald onto his back. He lay there like a wet blanket. She felt bad, what was wrong with her? She never felt empathy... but he was skin and bones and unconscious with only a towel wrapped around him for cover. His arms and legs were sprawled out like spindly twigs... but, she couldn't help him here, she needed to get him back to the bar. She spread his legs, positioned herself in between them, and carefully lay over him with her back against his sunken stomach. She was careful not to put much weight on him as she reached to grab his wrists. She then sat up, pulling his wrists over her head so that he was somewhat folded over her. She leaned forward at that point. Lex needed to get her feet under her while keeping him draped over her. She rose carefully to her feet and tried to grab under his legs. Unfortunately the towel was hanging too low and she couldn't get ahold of them. "Hhhhhhh, I'm just going to carry you like this" she told his unconscious self. He was disturbingly light anyway.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Operation

(The weird part about a fresh kill, the gutting thing... I'm a hunter. I butcher my own meat and I do of course field dress the animal. When you first cut open the carcass, if it's fresh on a cool morning, the steam visibly rolls off the intestines and curls up into the morning air. That air, when it hits you is a warm, thick, sticky scent... it's hard to describe but it's one of those scents you never forget...

I will say, I am a firm believer in hunting for food. I hate those who hunt for sport and waste the meat. Hunting was, is, and always should be a means of attaining food. It is not for sick, demented people who want to kill animals for... I don't even know why they would if they don't intend to eat it honestly. It's infuriating, sorry for the rant... please carry on.)

Lex walked back to the bar with Drăculea draped over her shoulders. His boney body felt so frail against her somewhat muscular form. She wasn't bulky but she certainly wasn't lean either. She had good muscule definition with nice arms and a a stomach with lightly toned abdominal muscles. Her calves were her particular favorite though, they were thick but beautifully sculpted and faded into narrow, delicate ankles which she prided herself in. Herstrength and his light body made it quite easy to hoist him carefully onto the bar table. She had laid a bunch of towels down to soak up any blood that may spill. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect when cutting him open. His blood, what she could see of it, leaking out of open wounds, looked like hers, maybe his insides were too.

She removed the towel placed it one one of the bar stools. She had to work fast, she didn't know how long the unconsciousness would last before he simply slipped into a deep, drugged sleep. She used alcohol to sterilize the area . as she did this, she noticed the vampire's skin. It was covered in faded scars. Not from theses current whip marks... no... these were old... from his human years maybe... she really needed to do more research on the man... after he was finally settled in though. Right now she needed to move on with the surgery! She made a pfannenstiel incision and gently pulled back on the upper part on superior portion of the cut so that she could gently slide her hand inside the vampire. His blood looked just like a human's, the cut was very human looking as blood spilled up and over his sides, soaking into the towels underneath him. But, as she slid her hand into the cut, she was very, very glad she put gloves on... his body was... not really cold but cool. When she was hunting or gutting or just opening a fresh body for any reason, her favorite part was was the first opening. The initial cutting open of the body. The scent, the warm, moist, sticky, oddly sweat scent that envelops one is unmistakable and strangely satisfying. But this... was... not at all like that. It was like cutting open a carcass that had been left out all day. It was cool and the scent wasn't rolling up to meet her the way a fresh body's did. It was, at the very least, one of the weirdest feelings she had ever had.

She pushed her mild discomfort aside and slid her hand all the way in. She was careful not to hurt any organs as she slid her hand in and around them to feel around Vlad Drăculea's pelvic bowl, searching for the silver needles. She almost laughed at the thought... never, not in a million years did it ever even cross her mind that she would ever be in this scenario. It certainly was... she didn't have the words to describe it honestly...

There! She found one! It was stuck firmly into his bone and she had to reposition her hand to get a better grip before being able to pull it out. She removed a totally of 16 before she stopped finding anymore. She gently palpated around, looking for more but came up empty. She gently slid her hand out and stitched him back up. When she was finished, she wiped off the blood and pulled him off the table. She lifted him carefully, the way a mother would her sleeping child. She lay him on the blanket she had lain out on the floor. She took a wat cloth and gently finished cleaning him off. Once she was thoroughly satisfied with him, she cleaned off the bar and placed the knife in the alcohol solution she had in the sink. She took another rag and wiped down the bar with the same solution. When she was done, she dropped all of these towels in the trash. They simply weren't worth the hassle of cleaning them.

Lex then went back to Vlad who was still unconscious where she had left him. She folded the blanket around his thin form and lifted him in the same manner she'd used to get him there. He was taller than her by 3 inches and that made him awkward to carry in that manner but she had to. She didn't want to risk tearing the stitches. When he woke up and drank he would hopefully heal then... but right now he wasn't healing.

She carried him all the way up the stairs and down the hallway to his room. She was about to place him in the coffin but she was worried he'd bleed in it. She instead placed him on the soft king sized bed. She carefully wrapped the blankets around him and repositioned the pillows so his head and neck would be comfortable when he woke up. Over the blankets she placed the Softheat electric blanket to keep Vlad warm as he rested.

Lex stopped in the doorway to look over her work. Satisfied, she turned and went downstairs to read while she waited for the shipment of blood to arrive. It was set to arrive at 6 AM and it was already 5:37 AM.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: New Home

Lex waited for the blood delivery. She was reading Günter Stampf's novel, _Interview With a Cannibal_. It was a favorite of her's and she was enjoying the read as she remembered she would need to warm the blood for Drăculea. Unlike in her book, this blood couldn't be cooked, it needed only to be warmed to 98F. She put her book down and got on Amazon. She ordered a hot bath like the ones used in her college biology labs. Thanks to Amazon prime, it would be on her front porch tomorrow! Lex resumed her reading, though she knew she should be reading about Vlad III Dracula's life. That could wait until his blood arrived. She had just found her place again when the doorbell rang.

Lex put down her book and went to the door. Ignoring the odd looks from the delivery service, she signed for it and carried the blood from the coolers into her own walk-in storage cooler. When the truck left, she boiled a hot water bath in two pots. She placed a thermometer in each pot and sat at the bar to keep an eye on them. Lex was glad for the fume hood she had as she thought about heating the blood with the hot bath she'd ordered. She didn't mind the smell of blood, she just didn't want the smell all over the house and she could only imagine the scent of stale blood floating stagnant over Shake Weighty Rec Room. Not pleasant... especially not if she had to entertain guests other than Ben and Heather.

Pushing that thought aside, she picked up her phone and lazily search "Vlad III Dracula." Lex skimmed through the links... the were all .coms. She was researching though and needed better sources. She switched to Google Scholar and like any good researcher, started at the beginning. "Childhood of Vlad III Dracula." She browsed the new search results, pleased to find better sources. Lex was absolutely exhausted. The last thing she wanted to do was prepare food for a sleeping vampire let alone read of his past. All she wanted was to sleep herself... a nice, deep, drugged sleep. One that she wouldn't wake up from... how nice...

She found a promising site... Psycho-biographical Considerations about Vlad the Impaler also known as Dracula... By Dr. Peter Dan... it sounded boring but wasn't most research she'd done before? "Well... let's take a trip back to my time in college... yes barista, I realize you usually serve coffee but I asked for a side of chai tea with my research paper and I intend to get it!" She laughed remembering when she'd gone off on the poor barista a 6AM whilst thoroughly inspecting her grad paper on sustainable magrav plasma generators... it hadn't been a good morning and she admittedly way overreacted when the barista asked if she meant to order a chai latte... it was a funny memory though, smiling as she remembered it.

She got up to make some tea and began to read..."Vlad III Draculea, later alliterated to Dracula, from the latin draco, meaning the son of the dragon but also possibly the son of the devil, was born at the end of 1431 in the Transylvanian city of Sighisoara. His father, also named Vlad..." (Dan) damn, this was honestly the worst. Why did history have to be so boring she wondered.

It took her almost an hour to finish reading and making notes. She compiled these notes and placed them in a filing folder. The folder was then placed into her records cabinet, hopefully to never need referencing. As it turned out, according to Dr. Dan's research, Drăculea suffers from attachment and trust issues due to the lack of stable parental figures in his life. Not only that but he also had paranoid personality disorder and post traumatic stress disorder most likely resulting from the beatings and rapes he received under Ottoman rule. She also read that he had a tendency to kill and impale small animals... she'd have to watch out for that... she couldn't allow it. Dan also theorized that Drăculea's obsession with impalement stemmed from his unconscious desire to cope with the sexual abuse and the humiliation and lack of control he had from that abuse. In other words... she had a very, very, messed up vampire on her hands. He currently seemed more broken and scared than anything though right now and she hoped the whole "impaling small animals" thing didn't rear it's ugly head, at least hopefully not in the near future.

Lex had forgotten about the boiling water, it was well past 98F... whatever. She dumped both pots into the sink with some ice cubes. She waited 20 minutes and brought 4 blood bags out of the cooler. They were each a pint, she couldn't imagine him eating more than that for the time being... if he even woke up... his body had to be exhausted. It was starved and his stress and fear did nothing to help it. Once the bags were sufficiently warm, she drained part of the contents of one into a coffe mug. The sight was quite odd and kinda repulsive, even to her. It smelled fresh enough... not the smell of fresh carcass but definitely a blood smell.

Drăculea woke up... he could smell the blood. It was downstairs, it had to be. To far, was he locked in? He tried to move... pain. A new pain. Where was he? He slid a clawed hand under the warm blankets. That was new... there were never any blankets, or even a bed, let alone warm ones. He was naked though, that was normal. His usual pains felt somewhat dulled though, he needed to get up and try and get the blood if he could, before the pain came back. His hand slid over something strange. A new cut, just above the base of his penis. It wasn't there before. And... it was... stitched? He pushed the blankets on him and painfully got up. He looked down at himself. His hip bones jutted out cruelly but there was the new cut, something was off... what happened? Then he remembered... master, painkillers... and this was his new chamber? The sun was still low over the water... it was beautiful, it brought tears to his eyes and yet, the sun wasn't hurting him... it was the glass... master had said something about it. He couldn't remember but this view, it was spectacular. He stared for several long minutes before tearing his eyes away to explore his new cell. He found his coffin first! He stumbled to it on legs that were still too painful and too weak to move very fast. The vampire examined his coffin and to his surprise it was in relatively good condition! Much better than when he'd seen it last! It had fresh paint and the holes were gone! And his soil!! It was there too! Under the coffin! There was a clear covering over it but it was there and it looked as though it had been pressed and designed! He couldn't believe it! He had his coffin and a bed! His original clothes! They were there too, cloak and everything! He limped over to them. He smelled them, they smelled clean and fresh. Inside the door they hung on were more clothes, not his own, but others. Then he saw it... in it's own section, his armor... in pristine condition! He couldn't believe it... all this... it was surreal. He dressed himself, despite the pain, he finally was clothed... it felt soooo good. The feeling of shame and vulnerability disappearing as he put each necessary article of clothing on. He chose black sweat pants that had the words Calvin Klein sewn into them... they were odd but covered him and were comfortable even with his wounds. Then he chose a red sweatshirt with similar fabric and design. They felt good on him. He found the bathroom, he had already seen that, it was nice, nicer than anything at Hellsing Manor and nicer than anything he'd had in his own castle. Now it was time for food. He moved awkwardly to the door, to his surprise it was unlocked. Following his vampiric nose, he limped slowly down the hall. The metal staircase was in sight... he crept over to it. The scent of blood drew him, urging him on. He was so hungry. He cautiously set foot on the stairs. It was cold under his bare feet. It was all he could do to support his weight on one leg as he brought the other foot down beside the first one. He exhaled, exhausted from the effort. He had to get to the blood though. He took another step. This time he wasn't so lucky and fell forward down the steps. He let out a weak cry of terror as he fell. Lex heard him and came running. She found her vampire clinging weakly to a metal bar on the railing. He looked oddly cute in a sad, pathetic kind of way. She ran over and picked him up. She was impressed that he had at least picked two of the same kinds of clothes... they didn't match too well but they were okay together. He looked more embarrassed and scared of her than anything but she checked for any new injuries anyway. She was glad to see he hadn't reopened her stitch job. She looked back up at him and saw the hurt in his eyes... she felt bad. She knew he didn't understand why she had done it to him. "I'm sorry, I needed to take the silver out. The pills I gave you were painkillers but they are also used as a sedative sometimes. I didn't want to operate on you while you were awake" she explained. He still looked hurt and mistrusting but seemed to accept her reason. To his surprise, she picked him up, almost effortlessly and carried him the rest of the way down the stairs and over to the bar. He didn't like being carried like this. Master, a female, was stronger than him. Her physical human strength currently outmatched his typically superior vampiric male strength. He didn't like it. But, he had to admit, it felt better on his body than walking.

Lex held him, balancing on one foot as she used the other to slide out a bar stool. Once finished, she set him on it and went back around the bar to get the mug of blood. She had placed it on a mug warmer. She retrieved it and slid it down the bar to him. She loved playing the role of a bar tender... even if it was blood in a coffee mug. Still fun... but under these circumstances, only enough to bring a smirk to her lips.

Drăculea was shocked to see this. Not only did master have warmed food prepared for him, she smiled! It was the most emotion he'd seen from her! Ever since she'd traded for him, he'd been waiting for some sort of emotion to read from her but nothing. Most of the time she had a perfect poker face and if she had any other expression it was a cool artist's rendition of whatever emotion the situation demanded but never a true emotionally driven expression... until now.

Lex looked at her vampire, he was looking back at her. Looking at her face again... he was trying to read her expression... good luck with that she thought. She rarely ever showed true emotion. She, like her friends, had long ago discovered that faking emotions instead of actually having them benefited an individual in almost every situation. One could fake excitement or a drunken state or depression. They could play others or send just the right image they wanted that person to have and then turn around and cross that impression at the drop of a hat. It made them unpredictable and it made them dangerous and that's how they'd survived. So, Drăculea wouldn't be able to truly read her emotions unless she let him... and she wasn't going to... not yet anyway.

(My citation in APA for those of you that care...

Dan, P.(n.d.). Psycho-biographical considerations about Vlad the Impaler also known as Dracula. Retrieved from http/10342218/Psycho-biological_considerations_about _Vlad_the_Impaler_also_known_as _Dracula )


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Master

Drăculea finished the blood in the mug rather quickly, proceeding to clean the last drops out with his surprisingly long tongue. He looked over at master. He had been so consumed by his need to finish the blood that he hadn't noticed her climb on top of the bar. She was sitting indian style, with a blade in her hand. Startled, he almost fell off the bar stool. She looked at him, he looked a little livelier. She smiled kindly at him and nodded towards the sink. "There's more over there" she said. He eyed her carefully with the knife... his vampiric vision allowed him to get a close look at it. It was a black blade with a black handle. She was sharpening it with what looked like a small metal version of the poles he used to stake his victims. She wasn't watching him anymore. She was focused on the blade with an almost loving attention.

Lex knew he was watching her. "CRKT M16-14ZLEK. One of my favorites" she said. He didn't know what to say. She looked up at him, switching her hold on the blade so that she was actually gripping the blade itself. "W...why do you hold it there, Master?" He asked nervously. He had backed up against the sink, clutching a bag of blood. "It's a tanto blade, see how it slants at the end?" She asked him, holding it up. He nodded. "It needs to be sharpened at a different angle or you will mess up the blade"

She finished with the M16 and pulled a different knife out from her bra. He was shocked, how many knives did she have??? "I typically carry at least three" she answered before her could even ask. "I make them too, not flippers but usually full tang Bowie knives. Also tomahawks and the occasional sword. It's a relaxing hobby" she told him.

She started sharpening the next knife without even looking at it. He slowly brought the blood bag up to his mouth. He dared not take his eyes off her for fear she would hurt him with the knife. But instead she asked, "mind if I turn up the music?" He nodded. With that she turned up her music. It seemed to be coming from all around the room! A thunderstorm of drums and guitars. He heard screaming! What music was this?!

"...We live to kill, we live for murder

We are unbreakable, we follow a code of honour

We are armed with axes, marching through storms of 

death..."

It was unlike anything he'd ever heard before! It was...interesting. He watched her lean back against the wall, still sharpening her knife with her eyes closed. Drăculea nervously sucked at the blood bag as he listened to her breathing and heartbeat, she was actually relaxed... strange.

He finished them and waited patiently for master to get up and give him orders. He felt much better, the silver was out of him, his wounds were all healed amd he had clothes and his coffin. He was even filling out, he looked like a person again, a skinny one, but still a person and not a starved, demonic, vampirey thing. Lex had quite literally fallen asleep, she really needed sleep, bad! She heard, or perhaps felt the silent waiting of the vampire. She lazily opened one eye. She looked him up and down.

He looked... human! Intrigued, she sat up. "Come here Drăculea" she commanded as she motioned towards him. Drăculea followed her command, but like a scared dog, moved agonizingly slow. "I'm not going to hurt you, please, come over here" she sighed. Vlad was suspicious, though he came closer...still slowly but a little faster than before. He came to a stop just out of her reach. Squinted at him... his eyes... they were green, like human's eyes. "The fuuuck... what? Why are your eyes green now?!" Lex asked, shocked by this new discovery! "Master, my eyes are as they were as a human... as long as I am well fed" he answered. Lex wasn't really asking him the question specifically, she had been wondering outloud. She gladly accepted his answer though. She looked at him a little more closely... his face was fuller and neck, that of a bull's. She leaned over, stretching to reach his sweatshirt. She reached it and pulled him a little closer. Fear flashed in his eyes as he stumbled forward. Lex, ignoring this, she pulled up his sweatshirt just enough to see where she had made her incision. It was gone... she felt strangely neutral about it... she hadn't known what to expect. She gently but firmly ran her thumb over the area to feel for any scar tissue, there was not but she could feel how tense he was. Looking up as his face she could see that his jaw was clenched. His entire body was tense and he was begging to tremble. What had they done to him she wondered. She wasn't finished her examination though so she continued. She grabbed hold of his hand and lifted it to get a better look. She held it gently but he was now leaning back a bit with those green eyes of his squeezed tightly shut. She felt bad for him but she was still aggravated by his constant state of fear. Rolling her eyes and sighing, she examined his hand. It was a strong hand, definitely a man's hand, but the nails... where there had once been crystalline claws, there were now glass-like nails. They were beautifully intriguing. She released his hand.

He still stood there leaning back slightly and awkwardly holding out his hand while trembling. Lex cleared her throat and he cautiously opened his eyes.

 **Drăculea's POV**

He was pulled forward by his shirt. Tensed, he was forced to stumble forward. Even with his new strength and full body granted by the blood he so desperately needed, Master was still strong and she seemed to be able to move him effectively without straining herself. She lifted his shirt. A sickening feeling rose in his guts as she did so. He knew what was coming next, she'd want him... want him to... to submit to her, undress and kneel on the ground waiting for her commands. He tensed, the need to throw up was threatening to overtake him but he somehow managed to keep himself in check. He wanted to run and hide, to get away but he could not. He was a slave and a good slave didn't get chastised as a runaway slave did. He would be whipped and beaten and most likely raped but he would probably be able to return to his coffin when it was over. He stared forward, jaw clenched, waiting for whatever happened next.

Her hand touched his skin. He had grown his hair back, she would no doubt want to observe him again in his new, healthy, state. His facial, chest, pubic, and leg hair went away or at least greatly diminished while he was being starved. Now that he had been fed, it came back. Dark curly hairs embellished his chest and soft dark hairs curled up to his navel from underneath now. Even his long black mane had regained its lustrous shine.

But the hand released him, it didn't try to remove his pants, it simply left after a short examination of where she had cut into him when she had removed the silver from his body. He was about to exhale, just then remembering that he'd inhaled and held his breath as she pulled him forward, when she caught his hand. Caught off gaurd he leaned away, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and trembling as she examined his hand. Would she break his fingers?! Rip off his nails?! He shook like a leaf, her terrifying music pounded in his ears, he was going to pass out! But nothing happened... she let go. Afraid to move, he stayed there, arm outstretched. He heard her clear her throat and hazarded a glimps. She had returned ther her same relaxed state against the wall. "You appear to be in much better condition... have you finished the blood I warmed for you?" She asked. "Yes master" he replied quietly. "Speak up vampire, make yourself known. When you speak, speak directly. You must learn to command. If you want respect you need to earn it. You can start by speaking up for yourself. Now, did you finish the blood I had warmed for you?"

Fear... again. But he followed her order. "Yes Master, I finished the blood you prepared for me!" He cried. What would she do, she'd yell at him for his disrespect! He knew it!

 **Lex**

He answered her, and he had made his voice louder but it had been a high pitched cry... oh well, whatever... they'd have to work on his dignity.

"Excellent Drăculea. Do you need more?" She asked him.

"No Master!" He replied.

"Very well, I am extremely tired, Drăculea. I am going to go to sleep. If you need me I will be in the room across the hall from yours. You are free to roam the house and entertain yourself as you please. I have four rules, don't shoot a gun in the house unless there is a robber or you are in the indoor range, don't burn down the place, don't impale any animals, and don't hurt yourself. Okay, good night, good day, whatever, I'll see you later."

With that, Lex put down the file, picked up both knives, and jumped off the bar. She walked past Vlad and went upstairs to her room. She was beat. She drew the blinds and crawled into bed fully clothed. She slept, undisturbed, for 13 hours.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Lex's Dream

Vlad Drăculea roamed around Lex's house, she was a strange master he thought. She had so many opportunities to violate him, to humiliate him, to torture or hurt him, and yet she hadn't done any of those things. Why? What was she waiting for? He mulled over her treatment of him.

She had bought him, or traded for him... traded a helicopter for him. The helicopter was no doubt, very expensive... and she had traded it... for him. But when she got him, she hadn't done anything to him... hadn't made _him_ do anything. She allowed him rest, she gave him his coffin and soil, she'd fed him, washed him, and even taken the silver out of his body. What did she want with him? This question still gnawing at his troubled mind, he began to explore his new dwelling place.

He stalked around the first floor. He was looking for the basement but in the process, he figured he should examine the first floor as well. Most of the rooms were like the Shake Weighty Rec Room, laid back but but not lacking in comfort or design. There was the home theater with leather reclining seats and cooled drink holders. A little down the same hall was a small workout center with two of each machine; elliptical, treadmill, something he saw was labeled recumbent bike but he wasn't sure what that was... he didn't bother with the other machines and the weight and lifting machines scared him. They looked like something out of a torture chamber... he left and wandered further along. The hall had burgundy carpeting and tan walls, yellow lights were set into the burgundy ceiling. He came to a room at the end of the there was a glass door leading to, what appeared to be outside, but Vlad knew the plants were all wrong, they were tropical! There was only one other door at the end of the hall so he decided to enter this strange door. Upon entering, he was hit with a warm, moist atmosphere. Jungle sounds were playing from somewhere within the room. Stone walls lined the enclosure but he could see that the top was glass. The glass was geometrically sculpted with various angles and shapes forming the ceiling. The courtyard wasn't very big and the foliage was just sparse enough for a person to walk about within it. Above the bird call audio he could hear running water. Moving towards it, he discovered a small stone waterfall. It looked almost natural but he could see a cave behind the falling water. The pool was thigh deep at its deepest and as he waited through it he saw fish in it! Vlad marveled in astonishment at this odd room... why was it here and what was it's purpose? There were no benches to sit...

He climbed up onto the rocks on the other side. He peered into the cave and immediately pulled away in shock! A snake, a huge one! He wasn't scared of snakes, after all... they didn't really care for vampires as a food source. He looked in again... it was massive... he'd never seen one this large! Drăculea decided he would have to ask Master about it. Having discovered the purpose of the enclosure, he moved on. His pants were now soaked but he didn't mind. He continued down the hall, his dripping pants now staining the burgundy carpet a darker shade. This room had a glass ceiling too. It was high and sloped down to about 7' where it met a tan stucco wall. The floor was elegantly tiled with what appeared to be real sand colored stone! In the center of the room was a massive pool, complete with a diving board and a lifted hot tub! He strode walked over to the hot tub, it looked so inviting!!! Master _had_ given him permission to entertain himself... he touched the bubbling water. It was so hot and soothing!!! The steam caressed his face. Drăculea, finally decided to get in, stripped down completely, and got in. It was amazing!!! The hot water relaxed his muscles and the powerful water jets massaged them. He sat there like that for a few minutes but he wanted to find the basement, he had to know if it was a torture chamber... if he was going to be tortured in the basement like he was at Hellsing Manor, he had to know. He got out and dried himself with one of the towel he found folded on a rack. Vald redressed and continued exploring. He discovered a massive garage! In it, sat the car he'd been in, two motorcycles, and a large 4-door truck. It was lifted with a metal bumper and push bar! It was huge! He walked past those and found a strange piece of equipment... it reminded him of something he'd seen before... a forge, it was a forge! Newer than the ones in his day, obviously, but it had the same purpose. He found an anvil, hammers, clay, leather, files and tons of other things he had no name for. He found some knives on the workbench in various stages of completeness. He moved on, finding a set of stairs... upstairs, he discovered a strange room. It had couches around a low table and they all faced the inward in an almost half circle towards a set of pull down maps... it was very odd indeed. But still, not torture devices, not yet.

After leaving the garage, Drăculea finally found the basement. He crept down the stairs, fearing what he would find. When he reached the landing, he found a strange room with glossy wood... there were rows of wooded floor and then gutters and a barricade to separate these rows. There were 5 rows total and at the end he could see an opening. Strange figures stood in triangular formations at the ends in front of the openings. He'd never seen anything like this place before. Off to the side was a pool table... he knew what that was. He hadn't been allowed to play but he'd seen his previous masters play before. He moved on to the next door, it was thick, thicker than any of the other doors. He pushed it open and peaked inside. As he did this, the lights came on. It was a gun range, this was the range she'd mentioned. The walls were lined with guns... shotguns, rifles, pistols, revolvers, mussel loaders, even a machine gun! It was impressive but not what he was looking for. So far, so good, he thought, and returned to the first level.

Next, Drăculea wanted to explore the upstairs... he had a porch outside his bedroom and hadn't even gotten to go try it out yet... though that, he realized would have to wait until tonight what it was safe for him to be outside. Vlad crept up the stairs quietly, not wishing to wake Master. He saw her door open and for some reason, he decided to go have a look. He was nervous, yes, but he wanted to see Master... she was strange... different from all his previous masters... there was more to her than he was seeing and he had to know what it was. Andrew had only been a horny, perverted jerk who got his rocks off tormenting him... Lex... Lex didn't seem to be interested in him in that way. In fact, she seemed indifferent and almost distant towards him. She wasn't cruel and so far hadn't even been mean but she clearly didn't want to be around him too much. She was cold and in a way, empty.

He made it to her door and peaked in. Her room was similar to his but actually a little smaller, which surprised him. She was curled in the center of her bed, pillows and blankets forming an odd little nest around her. Her body was tense... why? Up to this point she had the seal preventing him from reading her thoughts... it was worth a shot though.

To his surprise he was able to! He couldn't believe it... she must have dropped the block when she fell asleep.

Darkness... it was dark... everywhere, surrounding, choking, strangling darkness. But a child, a small child. It was a girl, young, maybe 8. She was thin curled up against something but there was nothing there except her. And older girl... his master! She was a child too! She too was thin. Patting the other little girl on the head, she turned to leave. Both children wore ratty clothes and were covered in dirt and cuts and bruises. His master too, she was even worse looking than the younger child. But she left... he could only see the little one now. She was scared and hungry, he could feel it in his throat... she lifted her head weakly, looking in his direction. She couldn't see him, he was was seeing through Lex's eyes. He knew at this point though, Lex was remembering something, she was watching a scene unfold. There were hands grabbing for the girl! She tried to get away but was too small and weak. Men, two of them. They surrounded her, tearing her clothes. Drăculea felt sick, he knew what was coming. They raped her. He looked at her face as he watched helplessly. She was screaming... her wail, high pitched. It faded into silence. The men faded and the child lay still. She didn't move... didn't breathe. Lex, his master, she was back, she carried scraps of food... food, he knew, meant for this little girl who now lay broken and dead. His master stopped. She threw down the scraps and ran to the girl. Shaking her shoulders and screaming her name. "Aggie! Aggie! Please, get up!!! Agatha!!!" She was screaming and crying for her motionless friend. The child slumped, lifeless. His young master understood now, the child she held in her own small arms, was dead. Lex stood, she looked down at the small body. Walking away, she turned back. Suddenly he was standing where she was, he was a part of the scene now. He looked at the child again, and this time, she was changing. She was no longer a little girl but she was him... him as a child. Lex, he assumed he was Lex still, drew closer to his child self. The boy was shaking in fear, covered in whip lashes. As she approached, he changed again, this time he was a starved vampire, still beaten and broken and still him. "Agatha" Lex uttered quietly, yes, he was still Lex, adult Lex. The starved vampire lifted its head and looked at her. As he did, everything vanished and the suffocating blackness gave way to an open abyss. Lex was waking up!

He stumbled back out of her room. He was breathing hard, he hadn't noticed that he'd even begun breathing! He dashed to his room, his vampiric speed and agility aiding his escape. Reaching his room, he dashed to his coffin and lept into it. He pulled the lid over himself and hid.

What was that?? Her dream was terrible... it almost hurt physically... what did it mean? He had to ask Heather, maybe she would know...


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Ice Breaker

Lex hated remembering... why did Drăculea's presence make her brain remember. No amount of lavish spending, or traveling, or killing, or even alcohol could truly erase the memories but they at least worked to suppress them... until now, until Vlad Drăculea the vampire became her now house mate. Well, right now he thought he was her slave... he wasn't, she would allow him to come and go as he pleased but she wanted him to gain the confidence to ask to leave the house. She liked having him around... it made the house feel more like a home with another being in it. But the memories his presence resurfaced were unbearable. He reminded her so much of Agatha... which was absurd because he was a 45 year old male turned into a vampire, a vampire that was more than 500 years old. It wasn't his physical being that reminded her of Aggie, it was his situation she thought. There were similarities. Physical abuse, helplessness, and finally, sickeningly, rape. His story was an elongated version of Aggie's. Vlad, who, at a young age was given to the Turks as a political hostage where he was beaten and raped. Aggie, who was so young and innocent and beaten by her parents and then raped by thugs. Lex had been responsible for Aggie, just as she was now responsible for Vlad. She failed Aggie and now she was dead... what would happen to Vlad... what if she failed again? What if she lost him, he couldn't die or at least not easily, but there were certainly worse faits than death.

She shook her head trying to shake off the thought... it haunted her, scared her even. But, he was her responsibility and she needed to help make his move to her home and care as smooth as possible. She needed to get up and take care of things... hopefully keeping busy would take her mind off her troubled past.

Lex peaked into his room before heading downstairs. The lid was on the coffin, he must have decided to sleep. Lex walked downstairs to read up on Romanian culture.

She learned that family was important to Romanian culture... apparently generations would live together. That hadn't happened for Vlad as a young human but Lex wondered if he ever missed his own human family or vampire family... he probably did. He was all alone now, all by himself, the only vampire and an enslaved one at that. He looked so defeated. He would keep his head down most of the time and shy away if she moved towards him. He would allow her to touch him, he had to, but he would either lean away, cry, or make a terrible keening noise. Didn't he know by now that she wouldn't hurt him?

She needed to find a way to help him relaxe and she'd hit a dead end studying his culture. Lex decided to leave him alone to come to terms with his new surroundings. Maybe when he was ready, he would come to her, but for now she would leave him in peace. She prepared another two pints of blood and kept them warming in the sink. She didn't know when he would wake up.

Lex walked out onto her back patio. Watching the moonlight dance on the waves, she inhaled deeply, smelling the ocean air. She walked down to the small cliff drop off and jumped down. Making her way to the water, she stopped ankle deep, feeling the water lap at her legs and the sand falling away beneath her heels. She broke into a run and dove into the crashing waves.

Lex was enveloped by the cold rush of water. It washed everything away, the pain, the guilt, the worry, fear, and responsibility. She was simply a beating heart in a sea of darkness. Floating on her back, she looked up at the stars.

After meditating for a little while, she swam back to shore and started towards the yellow glow of her house. Looking up, she saw Drăculea... not reading or enjoying the view or whatever, no, he was biting and ripping his wing!!! She was stunned... not only stunned by his bat-like form which was pretty cool, but by his actions! She just fed him before she went to sleep, she hadn't eaten anything much either, there was no way he was that hungry!

"Vlad! What are you doing?! Get down here! Now!!" She shouted.

 **Drăculea's POV**

He was tired still but he wasn't ready to sleep just yet, it was nighttime after all. He also had to tend to his bat wings. He was, in the past as a slave to the Hellsings, always made to "eat his wings". It had been a figurative saying, one that embodied his slavery to them. His freedom, his flight, was stripped of him. But it had also been literal. When the wings would grow back, he would have to tear them apart. As he was being starved, he actually began eating them in a last ditch effort to not dry up. It was a habit now... he hated it but he had grown used to it. His wings, though large and strong, were sensitive. The new flesh tender. He climbed out of his coffin and walked out onto his porch to enjoy the night air as he preformed the unsavory task. He was urprised to see his master walking towards the water at first she just stood there looking into the distance but then, to his absolute shock, she ran and dove into the dark sea. He didn't know how to feel... what would happen if she died? Would he go back to Andrew? Would Heather or Ben keep him? He hoped it wouldn't be Ben. If Ben became his master... he didn't know if he could take it... take him. Ben was much larger and stronger than Andrew and Jacob... he would be able to seriously injure the vampire if he raped him. Drăculea shuddered at the thought as he scanned the waters for his master. There... he found her. She was floating on her back now, looking up at the night sky.

He watched her for a while and then watched the sky a bit for himself. It was truly remarkable! So vivid were the stars against the night sky. But, he had to finish what he had gone out to do. Transforming into his bat form, he stretched his massive wings. They were whole again, a great improvement from the last time he saw them. They were the wings of a new vampire, not yet strong enough for long flight and still very sensitive. They were the same greenish gray as the rest of his body with crimson hues in the centers of the plagiopatagium and the dactylopatagiums. Refolding his massive wings, he stood on the balcony in his bat form as he let the cool air flow around him. He wanted to fly but he dare not, he didn't want the pain of the seal. Finally, tearing himself away from the balcony edge, he spread His right wing and brought the dactylopatagium (D.) brevis to his fanged mouth and tore it away. Gasping at the pain he paused before moving to the D. minus. When he was about halfway done with D. medius, he heard Master... "Vlad! What are you doing?! Get down here! Now!!" She shouted at him. He was surprised, not sure what he had done wrong. He had to obey though. She was about 30' back from just below the balcony. He might not be allowed to fly, but he could at least try and make his master see his strength and ferocity. He jumped down from the balcony, landing right in front of her. His large clawed feet hitting the ground and making it shake. He hadn't even used his wings, surely she wouldn't punish him for that... after all, he was technically obeying her orders. He expected Lex to jump back or at least cower in fear but she hadn't flinched, hadn't even batted an eye.

"Drăculea! What have you done?! Your wing!" She shouted as she walked over to it trying to get a better look. "Master, I am sorry. My previous masters always forced me to eat them... it was a punishment and a symbol of my slavery to them... I thought I was supposed to do it, that you would want it too..." he said, trailing off as Lex gently lifted the wing to examine the damage.

"Hhhh come inside. I thought it told you not to hurt yourself... seriously, out of the hundreds of ways I worried you'd end up hurt, chewing your own wing off never even entered my mind..." she said, sighing slightly.

Was that concern? She wasn't angry with him? No... she was... worried about him... worried about his wing! He followed her into the house where she sat him down at the dining room table. He sat down, still in bat form and allowed her to get a better look at his wing. She sat across from him at the table while he had his wing draped over it. She shook her head and left the room, telling him to "wait there".

She came back a few minutes later with a brown plastic bottle reading, "hydrogen peroxide" and a dark blue towel which she carefully spread under his wing. She then poured the H2O2 over his injuries and walked back behind the bar.

It burned! Not terribly, not like silver or holy water, but it still burned and stung! He had twitched, jerking his wing slightly. Lex said nothing at his reaction, she must have known... then he smelled it, blood, again! Warm, hot, fresh blood! What had he done to deserve so much food? He didn't care though... all pain in his wing forgotten... all he could think about was the blood, the warm blood of a human being brought to him! Lex came back carrying another coffee cup containing his blood, setting it down in front of him, along with the rest of the pint and another bag, she returned to clean up the mess of vampiric blood and H2O2.

He watched her as he drank the blood, he wanted to see how she would react when the wing healed.

She didn't seem too shocked, simply acknowledging that it was indeed healing and saying "I guess that makes sense".

After disposing of the towel and H2O2, she came back to talk to him. He was back in his human form again. Lex sat across from him, arms folded, resting on the table. "Drăculea, I... I am not like your other masters. I understand that you are used to being treated the way they treated you but I want you to understand that they were wrong... killing and even torturing is one thing, but enslaving and then abusing, neglecting, and raping that slave is absolutely wrong. They should not have done that to you and you will not be treated that way here. I know don't fully understand what is going on... that's fine, you will see and understand in time. I want you to feel safe here... what can I and my friends do to help you settle in?"

Vlad thought about her words... he definitely hated the way he had been treated... he wanted to believe things would change but he just couldn't. Every single time he had trusted his previous masters, believed it when they said he would be treated better, his trust and hope was shattering as they laughed. Laughed at him, asking him if he really thought a monster like him deserved any better... he didn't want that to happen... not this time. He wished she'd stop toying with him. But, she did ask how she of her friends could help him... he could ask... he could. Maybe there wouldn't be a punishment and maybe he just might get it... he would try... "May I... speak with Heather, I want to see her... may I Master? Please..." he asked. He waited for her to dismiss his plea but she didn't!!!

"Is that all?" She had asked. When he nodded, she said she'd see what she could do.

He couldn't believe it...

"I'm not here to hurt you Vlad" she said. Then she walked towards the pool area... she was still soaked from the ocean.

 **Lex**

Lex thought it had gone well, she worried about Drăculea... he wasn't used to this, he was nervous and didn't know what to expect besides pain and abuse. Hopefully he would come around eventually.

She would, most definitely call up Heather and have her come to visit him. In fact, Lex picked up her phone, grateful for the waterproof case, and called Heather. Shortly after she ended the call, Vlad walked into the pool room. "Master? May I use the facilities too?"

"Of course" she told him, "you don't need to ask permission to use them, they are here for you to use whenever you wish". He walked over sheepishly, pausing before timidly climbing into the hot tub. Lex watched as he kept his head down. He was apparently still intimidated or whatever and refused to make steady, direct eye contact unless forced. She arched her neck back so that her head rested on the edge. "Do you like the water" she asked him.

"Yes Master, I like that it is warm and I like the jets... but I cannot swim. Even though I won't die, drowning is not a pleasant experience... Abraham used to punish me that way sometimes..." he answered.

Stunned, she sat up. "First, why did he do that to you? Second, you can't swim?!" She was looking at him now, when she asked these questions.

"He drowned me because I would not submit to him and I never learned to swim because it wasn't really necessary for me in my human life and as a vampire, we don't float well... it's difficult and drowning is the most likely outcome..." he answered her.

Lex was even more shocked than before... "him punishing you like that was pretty sick... he should've done that... if you want to swim I will teach you, I have some floating pool toys and a wetsuit that probably fits you... it will keeps you floating so you can focus on learning to swim"

He nodded eagerly and Lex got out of the hot tub and went upstairs to get the wetsuit. She was excited, this was her chance to make him more at ease... she would make this work! She hoped that if she could get him to relax and be like a friend, she wouldn't equate him to Aggie anymore. She needed him to not need her. If he was self sufficient and able to recover from all the physical, sexual, and mental abuse, if he could be like Ben or Heather, he wouldn't be like Aggie anymore and seeing him wouldn't bring back the hurt.

Lex returned with the wet suit and instructed Vlad how to put it on. As he did so, she dug out a few pool toys from the storage bin by the towel rack and blew them up with the small air compressor she kept there. Once finished, she threw them in the pool and came back to check on Vlad. He was almost finished putting it on... he struggled to get it higher on his hips to allow him to slip on the sleeves. She walked over and grabbed the suit, pulling it, and him up, letting them fall, and then jerked the suit up to use Newton's first law of motion to get the suit on Vlad... it was like putting a pillowcase on a pillow. It worked and she helped him with the sleeves before zipping it all the way up and securing the neck Velcro. "Okay, now go sit in the hot tub for a bit, the wet suit will be more comfortable when wet and the hot water will keep you warmer a little longer... the pool is heated but it's still colder than the hot tub" she told him.

 **Drăculea's POV**

He walked back towards the hot tub with stiff lumbering steps... it was hard to move in the wet suit. It was stiff and tight... he didn't like it but he did want to swim, he decided he'd deal with the wet suit. Glad to get back in the hot tub, he watched Lex jump in the pool from the diving board. She had changed into a blue single piece bathing suit while getting his wet suit. Her skin glowed against the blue with it's golden tan as she elegantly entered the water with a small splash. Apparently she was a good swimmer... or at least the best swimmer he'd seen... he hadn't seen any actually, now that he thought about it. Breaking through the surface of the water as she took in a breath of air, she swam up to the hot tub and asked him if he was ready.

"Yes master..." he said.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Heather

Hanger up the phone, Heather lay back in bed and unpaused her Netflix show. Vlad wanted to talk to _her._ Apparently she had gained his trust... it had been unsought after but welcomed nonetheless. She watched the screen dully while wondering what he would want to talk about...

 **The Next Day...**

Heather pulled into Lex's driveway. Getting out of her car, she walked up to the door. Lex let her in before she could ring the bell. It wasn't Lex that Heather saw when she came in though, Vlad was standing just to the side of the door... she couldn't believe it, and he was looking healthy... looking almost human. She turned to Lex in disbelief who merely nodded and greeted her with a "good evening, Heather, thanks for coming by"! Lex left the two to discuss whatever Vlad had in mind as she went to find a way to amuse herself.

Heather was shocked to find Vlad awake during the day and asked him about it. "I prefer to sleep during the day but my sleep cycle changed during the trip here... I went to sleep around 2 AM and woke up around 5:50 PM, just before you got here" he explained. She burst out laughing but then as she noticed Drăculea cock his head to the side and step back a bit, she felt bad and had to explain. "I'm sorry, it's just, I've never heard of a vampire with jet lag!!" She was nearly in tears but managed to compose herself as she led the way into the rec room. Flopping down on a brown leather beanbag chair across from the vampire, she initiated the conversation once he took his seat. "So how are you liking it here, Vlad", she asked. He was leaning forward in his chair, obviously more on engaged than Heather who was sprawled out on hers... "it's nice here... so far... Master hasn't hurt me, not yet". "I told you, she wouldn't" said Heather. "I wanted to ask... well... I... when I first got here, I was trying to see if she had unlocked any of my powers, all of them were barred at Hellsing Manor but I wanted to try here... Master was asleep and I was trying to read her mind and it worked. Please... don't tell her... please, she will be mad... I saw something, a dream". Heather sat up, Vlad Drăculea was obviously very concerned about this situation... he thought he would be punished, injured, for reading Lex's mind, she would have been pissed but would have forgiven him and shut down that part of the seal but she wouldn't've hurt him, she needed to explain that to him. "Wait, Vlad, even if Lex found out and was upset, she wouldn't hurt you, she might be irritated but she wouldn't take her anger out on you, you don't need to be afraid of her... hurting you" Heather finished the sentence rather awkwardly... he should be afraid of her... she wasn't what he was seeing, she was kind and caring towards him, towards her and Ben. Heck, she and Ben were kind and loving to each other and Vlad but what Drăculea didn't know, was that his Master, Ben, and Heather were contract killers... they were cold, cruel and calculating. Especially Lex, her bloodlust and hunger for vengeance was insatiable. It was a vengeance that could never be satisfied because it wasn't her target she hated, she hated herself for not protecting the one thing she loved most, more than anything all those years ago, Aggie. Child or not, she had failed to protect her. According to Lex, when she killed, brutally overkilled a target, sje felt whole, like she was righting a wrong but at the end, when it was done she felt nothing... nothing ever changed. Of course, Heather wouldn't dare tell Drăculea that, instead she added the "hurting you" to the end so that her explanation was more truthful. "Please Vlad, carry on. Describe the dream..."

"It was very dark and cold. Like an empty place, void of all else except for the screen in front of me. I was Master as a child in the beginning... there was a little girl and she was cold and hungry and beaten... Master was too but for some reason, Master was helping the other child. She went to find food for the girl and while she was gone... two men... they... they did terrible things and killed her... Lex came back with the food and found the girl dead. At that point I was watching through Master's eyes now, she was an adult watching her child self... her young self was crying and as she stood up, Master, as an adult took the place of her younger self... like looking back in time... but the girl... the other one, she changed"

"She changed... what do you mean" Heather asked.

"She was me... me as a child when I was given to the Ottomans as a political slave... and then she walks towards me like she's coming to investigate the change but as she gets closer, I change into a starved adult vampire like I was under Andrew's care. Then she stops and calls me Agatha... it was very strange... what does it mean?" He asked her.

Heather was silent for a while. "The girl... Aggie, Agatha... same person same name... it's her sister."

"Sister?" Vlad was confused... Master had never mentioned a sister before... then again, she hadn't really said much of anything about her own life. Heather nodded, "yes, she had a little sister... the girls were abused by their mother and their father wasn't in the picture... according to Lex, they ran away but after two weeks on their own, Aggie was killed. Lex joined a gang after that but... got out... and then she formed a new little gang... just us... me, Ben, and her. She doesn't like to talk about the past, or even think about it... sometimes she gets blackout drunk and you know then that she is remembering Aggie... she felt responsible and like a failure."

Drăculea was silent for some time. "Why was I in the dream" he asked, looking up to meet Heather's eyes. "Well it kinda sounds like you remind her of her late sister. Aggie was beaten, starving, and sexually assaulted the last time she saw her and you were all those things too when she first saw you... her subconscious mind certainly made the connection... I just don't know if her conscious mind wants to see it..." Heather explained, more to herself than to Vlad.

"You know, Drăculea, Lex is a very interesting person, you might just enjoy getting to know her..." Heather told him.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Getting to Know Master

( So, fun facts, a lot of the things I mention in this story are actual things... yes, there is a such thing as a magrav plasma generator and surprisingly you can build one at home, Screaming Eagle is a real winery, and the plane is a real plane but the layout I used is the third option layout with the two couches in the back. Also most of the facts about Drăculea... even the name, the original pronunciation is factual at least according to several sources. Last but not least, this is actually how you make a knife... a very simplified rundown, but if you are interested in making a knife, you can basically follow these steps... you might want to look up some of the terms for yourself though ;) )

Drăculea, after Heather had gone off to enjoy his master's pool, decided to take her advice and get to know Master. He could hear her... maybe it was her. There was the loud clanging of metal on metal and her usual heavy music from somewhere to his left. Following the sound, he made his way into the garage and up into the loft where he could her. She looked over at him as he walked in but continued her work. Approaching cautiously, he came to stand a few feet behind to her right.

"Master, what music is this?" he asked after a few moments.

"It's hard rock and heavy metal... it's a mixed playlist with some death metal."... "if you meant, what song is this, it's The Eyes... by Dio." There was another pause... the vampire was listening to it.

" ... invisible dreams where no one can touch me

Maybe I'll find a way to disappear

No one moves and no one dies

Just the eyes

I've run as fast as I can thinking they'll never catch me

What a waste of breath, a waste of time

Feel like digging a hole, going in even deeper

Maybe they just can't see what just can't shine

I'll be lost so no goodbyes

If no one moves then nothing dies

Just the eyes..."

"What does it mean, Master" he asked after a listening for a bit. Lex put down her hammer, "Ummm, I'm not exactly sure what it meant to him when he was writing it... but I think it paints a picture of a person who is haunted by their demons, their past, they can't get away and it's driving them insane. His demons have become so... real, so alive, that he sees them in everyone's eyes... through everyone's eyes, if the people around him can see him, his demons see him and he can never get away... he thinks if he blinds everyone he will escape his demons and he can walk, a free man. I think that's what it means... but then again, it was customary for musicians to get really high so it could be a product of a weird acid trip... but I don't think it's that old soooo maybe not acid???..." Lex answered him.

Drăculea crept forward so that he was almost looking over his master's shoulder. She paused and looked at him. Putting the hammer down again, she pulled him to stand beside her and moved him a little further away from her. His body went rigged as she moved him but he relaxed as she explained that it wasn't safe to stand behind someone with a hammer. "I'm making a knife, a Bowie knife, for hunting... would you like to help?" She asked as she turned to look at him. He nodded. Lex was pleased, a part of her ached, wishing it was her sister standing beside her but looked to her side, it was a man, a vampire standing there. Shaking off the feeling, she showed him how to hammer the glowing orange metal into the shape. Then she handed him the hammer. He missed a few times but eventually found his rhythm. "This was a piece of leaf spring I got from the junkyard. It's already been hardened so I had to anneal it. I cut drew up my pattern and then traced it onto the metal. After that, I used my torch to cut it out and then I annealed it. Now I am hammering it out again to flatten out the edge a bit and create the form. Just go ahead and flatten out this edge a bit more" she told him, pointing to where the edge would be.

Once he was finished, Lex explained that they would let it cool before filling and grinding the actual design and putting the edge on. Once that was done, she would teach him how to drill the pin holes and heat treat it. Then they would put cut out a handle and pin it in place. Then she would help him form the handle to his grip and polish the blade. When she told him he could have it when they finished it, Vlad smiled, a real smile... he hadn't had anything to call his own in a long time. This knife, this knife that Master helped him make would be his. He would own it. It felt good to have control of something in his life.

Lex lead him out of the shop and back into the pool area to find Heather.

"Drăculea, I will be out of town for the next 3 day... Heather and Ben will be here to keep you company and make sure you get your food and whatever else you may need. You may not hurt them... do you understand?" Lex asked him on her way to the pool. Worry crept into his chest as he thought about Ben... he could trust Heather... he was starting to trust Master... but Ben was a man and he was much stronger and larger than his previous masters who had... used him... in the past. If Master and Heather were not around, Ben could do whatever he wanted to him and get away with it. He could damage the vampire... not permanently but it would be painful and degrading as always. But Master had asked a question that warranted a response... he nodded with a, "yes Master, I understand."

When they reached the pool room, they found Heather asleep in the hot tub. "Shhhhh" Lex shushed Drăculea as she crept over to the inflatable toy storage area and quietly pulled out a foam soaker ball. Dipping it in the pool, Lex snuck up to Heather and threw it at her head full force before running back to stand beside Vlad. The ball hit Heather in the back of the head and she shrieked and dove to the other side of the tub. Lex was laughing hysterically and had fallen over as Heather sat, grumbling under her breath. Drăculea was shocked, he hadn't expected that... human behavior these days was interesting to say the least.

By the end of the day, the vampire was feeling at home with Heather and his new master... Master was kind... for now, that would probably change soon, but for now he was safe with her.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Fear

Drăculea watched his master's plane take off. It was dusk now and darkness was settling over the landscape. He was standing next to Heather. Ben had met them at the airport in his truck. A small shiver ran down Vlad's spine as he felt his master's presence fade. She had left him in Heather and Ben's care. He liked Heather, she was sweet and gentle, safe. But Ben was intimidating. He looked friendly enough but he was a man and men were always cruel to the vampire... he couldn't read Ben's thoughts but he knew The man was just biding his time to get at him. He would use him for his own depraved fantasies. After all, Drăculea was a vampire, a monster, and no one cares what happens to a monster.

"So, Vlad, which one of us are you riding back with" asked Ben, leaning against his black Ford truck. It was a regular, everyday vehicle but it was tough looking and Ben loved it. Heather rolled her eyes. Drăculea jumped a little at the voice and stared at Ben with unmasked terror as he slowly backed away towards Heather and her little sports car. Ben was confused by the strange reaction, lifting one eyebrow as he watched the vampire back away from him. "Okayyy theeen, I guess you want to ride with Heather, I'll see you guys back at Lex's place" Ben said as he got back in his truck and pulled off the runway, driving through the field to get to the road.

"Haaa, show off" Heather said as she watched him leave, "we'll beat him there anyway!"

They didn't...

When Heather and Vlad got back to Lex's house, Ben was on the beanbag couch, in front of the rec room TV playing Halo. As they walked in, Vlad turned to Heather, "Why is it called Shake Weighty Rec Room?" he asked. Heather burst out laughing. "Well, I don't know if you remember, but there were these exercise weights that you would shake, they were called Shake Weights, they were really popular a few years back... well before that time, we called this place The Bastille. But then, Lex got like black out drunk during this time and apparently decided to order a pair... but she was drunk. She claims, she thought she was writing in an amount, well she ended up buying 5,995 of these Shake Weights." Heather was laughing so hard she was crying. "The best part was, she forgot she even ordered any... so several days later, a delivery truck pulls into her driveway and askes her to sign for this delivery... she's confused and asks "what delivery"... the guy looks at his clipboard and asks "ma'am, did you order the 5,995 Shake Weights?" and... hahaha... she's just like, "I guess so". We all helped carry them in and we just stored them in here. But like, obviously no one needed that many. We tried to sell them but only managed to sell a few... Lex ended up donating... I don't know, I think 5,980 to Goodwills and Community Aids around the area... it was hilarious! Moral of the story, don't order informercial products when you're drunk!" Heather was still laughing and crying. Ben turned his head to look back at them, "true story, I think there are still a couple back in that corner over there if you want proof" Ben informed Vlad, nodding to a far corner in the room with a few yoga mats laying out.

"Okay" Heather said, composing herself, "I'm going to go pick up the carry out and a Redbox movie... can't beat a good old fashioned DVD... what do you you guys want to watch?"

"Deadpool... or Zombieland... something funny!" Shouted Ben as he continued gaming.

"Alright, I'll be back soon, make sure Drăculea is cleaned up and ready for dinner, warm up the hot bath and put two of the blood pints in" she said as walked back outside.

Stress him like a wave crashing over rocky shore. He was alone here with Ben. His stomach knotted with the old familiar sickening feeling.

Ben died, putting down the controller, he got up. "Alright, go up and get a shower, I'm going to get your dinner ready" Ben said, looking at Drăculea.

Upstairs, Drăculea undressed himself. Red flowed from his eyes, carving dark paths on his cheeks. He drug himself into his tub, turning on the water. Curled up on his side on the bottom of the tub, the shower washed his bloody tears into the drain. He didn't want to be Ben's play thing. He was sick with fear. It was almost a half hour before the tears stopped and he was simply lying, paralyzed in trepidation of what was to come. The man's hands, greedily groping his body, grabbing, pinching, pulling at him. He could almost feel the man's tongue on his back, his heat inside him. The pain, the humiliation... it was coming, any minute now Ben would come into the bathroom and rip him out. He'd be tossed onto the bed and the horrors would begin.

Ben sat at the bar, he'd just finished off a shot of 58 year old Dalmore whiskey... ahhh the taste of money. Putting the bottle away and placing the glass in the dishwasher, he appreciated Lex's expensive taste in alcohol. Looking at the clock, he saw that 40 minuets had passed, Heather would be back soon, within 20 minuets at least. She had probably gone to the grocery store to pick up some other things. Vlad should be done in the shower by now, he thought.

"Hey, Vald! You done yet!?" He called up the stairs. No response. Sighing, he walked over to the stairs and called again... no response. Ben was beginning to get a little worried. Drăculea had been through a lot... decades of physical, mental, and sexual abuse could really take a toll on someone... not only that, but his world had changed, his life had made a 180 turn and everything was new to him. He would be stressed and scared... Ben hoped nothing had happened to him, that he hadn't harmed himself...

Reaching the landing, Ben ran to Drăculea's room and to the bathroom door, pounding on it, there was still no response. Thowing the door open, he dashed to the shower and pulled back the curtain. There was Drăculea, curled up, small, on the bathtub floor. His eyes were open but he was overall, unresponsive. Ben had no idea what to do. He grabbed the naked, soaked form out of the tub. The vampires body was limp in his hands. Ben held him out for a second, looking him up and down, searching for whatever had caused such a reaction. Finding nothing, he ran with the limp body to the bed. Remembering reading somewhere that a vampire's neck is quite sensitive, he carefully supported Drăculea's neck as he lay him gently on the bed. The vampires sacrum was on the very edge of the bed, causing his hips to jut out at a weird angle as his legs hung down, toes just touching the floor. He was shorter than Ben but both of them had a fit muscular form. Drăculea had a slightly wider frame than Ben but since Ben was taller, his musculature fit his stature a little better. Ben moved Drăculea a little further back on the bed and brought his legs up as he repositioned the vampire so that his body lay normally on the bed. Once that was done, Ben bent over the vampire, he examined the face carefully, checking in his ears, in his still open eyes, in his nose, and finally the mouth. Pulling back the lips to open the jaw, he was startled as Drăculea let out a quiet keen. Ben resumed his work, prying open Drăculea's mouth, he expected to find... something... he had keened when ben got to it, it must be... hurting him... maybe? But the mouth looked fine, it appeared to be healthy looking, it looked surprisingly like a human mouth except for the fangs and surprisingly long tongue. Ben released the vampire's mouth and it closed again. Confused, Ben moved onto the vampire's torso. He palpated the entire abdomen and pressed on each of the ribs... for once Vlad was not breathing. Ben checked each arm, looking for improper movement or limited mobility but everything was fine. Crawling on top of the bed, he did the same with each leg, spreading them apart when he was done so the he could evenly check the spine and do a quick examination of the genitalia. The genitals appeared fine, Ben felt over them, gently checking for any irregularities but finding none. Vlad keened again as Ben leaned over him. This time Ben was pretty sure that he was just voicing his discomfort... his legs were splayed open and he had been examined fairly thoroughly... Ben would have been uncomfortable too... he felt for Drăculea but he needed to find the problem and do his best to take care of it.

 **Drăculea's POV**

It had begun. The man ran his hands all over his body, examined his mouth and groped his genitals. Now he was over him, soon he would be undoing his pants. He keened, preparing himself for the inevitable pain that always came with penetration. He wanted to throw up, to run, to scream, but he could not... he had to lay there and take whatever Ben decided to do to him. He waited for it, s sudden shiver gripping his body.

 **Ben**

As Ben slipped his hands under Drăculea's shoulders to start checking his spine, the green eyes flashed red and faded as soon as it had come. Again, Ben was startled, Vlad wouldn't hurt him... would he? He quickly checked the spine. Finding nothing, he got off the bed to find some clothes for Drăculea, whatever was wrong, he couldn't wander around the house naked. Gathering up some sweats and undergarments, he came back to the bed where Vlad lay. "Please... just... get it over with..." the vampire pleaded quietly, eyes staring nervously at the ceiling. "What" asked Ben. Maybe he had heard the vampire wrong, the request had been so quiet... he got closer. "I'm sorry... I just... please... do it quickly..." Drăculea begged, this time brows furrowed and eyes squeezed shut, blood squeezing out from under the eyelids.

"Wait... you think I'm going to... rape you? Oh gosh no! I'm sorry, no! You were unresponsive, I thought you were injured or sick or something... I was just checking you for anything..." Ben felt terrible. He was the reason Drăculea was in this state, he thought he was about to be raped. He should have known better, he knew what the vampire had been through, he should have known. "Nothing is going to happen to you... none of us want to hurt you" he said, pulling Drăculea's upper body into a sitting position so that he could hug him. At first the body was tense in his arms but he began to relax after a few minutes of Ben holding and rocking him a little. He hadn't meant to scare him... he probably thought Ben was going to hurt and use him when he sent him up to get a shower... they was probably why Vlad had been like that... he was paralyzed with stress and fear. "You know, when Lex decided to sell the Black Hawk, we were all looking to trade it for a yacht or something. But then, your previous master, Andrew, offered to trade for you. We thought he was joking but then he sent us some pictures and videos... we didn't know if you were really a vampire or not but we knew we couldn't allow you to continue suffering there. You were so thin and you looked so pained and scared. We all decided to make the deal with Andrew. Lex turned down a 30 million dollar yacht to get you away from Andrew. We all came to get you, we made the trade in record time. After we sent you to the plane, Lex and I threatened Andrew and his friends. We told him that he better never cross us and to leave you alone, we only wanted to protect you. Do you understand? You are safe here, no one will hurt you..." Ben hugged the vampire closer, burying his nose and mouth in Drăculea's wet hair.

 **Drăculea's POV**

Vlad prepared himself for it but then Ben got off the bed and walked away... he was going to draw it out... enjoy himself... make the vampire suffer in mental agony as he was forced to lay there vulnerable. When he came back, Drăculea couldn't take it anymore... "Please... just... get it over with..." he begged. No, Ben made him repeat it, the fear in him grew, he knew he had no right to ask that and Ben knew it too. But then Ben surprised him... he wasn't going to rape him??? Instead he pulled the vampire into a hug... he was rigid with terror but eventually relaxed... he was supposed to be docile after all...

Ben was hugging and rocking him... trying to comfort him. Then he explained how Lex and come to possess him... how the deal had gone down. Apparently they hadn't been looking to procure a vampire... it had all been to get him away from his abusive master... he didn't know if he believed Ben, but he wanted to. He had been so scared and alone for so sooo long. Keeping his eyes closed, he pretended to be far away... in a good place with his family... the strong arms around him felt good... safe and warm.

The doorbell rang, "come on" Ben coaxed, "go ahead and get dressed, the food is here and yours should be ready by now..." Ben got up and walked out of the room. After dressing himself, Drăculea followed.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Do Not Cross Me

Lex was glad to be home, she had just returned for a 2 million dollar mission. Not a huge reward for an international mercy but it wasn't a difficult mission either... it was a good enough deal. The reward would be more than enough to get Drăculea's citizenship through... legally... this had to be legal. She wouldn't always be there to protect him...

Lex was rich... she had quite the inheritance to pass on but her lifestyle hadn't allowed her to have any children... and Heather and Ben were in the same situation. They had lived it up but at high cost... they were tired and no longer had the energy to outrun their demons. The lives of mercenaries were good... if you didn't mind racking up enemies and living with a bounty on your head... lex didn't mind, not for a while anyway, but things change and circumstances change. It was time to face what was coming. There were other mercenaries, other mercs that they had stepped on in the mad dog race to be the top dogs. They weren't the best but they were all high on the A list. The other mercenaries, the ones they had crushed to get to the top were coming for vengeance. They had been after them for years but Lex, Heather, and Ben had been able to evade them. It was only a matter of time before fate caught up to them. That was fine, but now they had a common responsibility, Vlad Drăculea, who now depended on them for food and refuge. He didn't know it yet, but he would be their heir... and soon, as soon as they were sure he was safe without them, they'd stage their deaths and leave him their inheritance. Though... the plan was a few years out at least... right now, Drăculea needed stability and safety, he needed family. And they would be his family, until they'd have to leave... and who knows, if they were to survive, they could come back.

Lex pondered this as she drove back home with a duffel full of cash.

 **Three weeks later**

Drăculea, despite occasionally freaking out and having a few mental breakdowns, was doing well in his new environment. He had started to trust his new master and her human friends. He was formally introduced to Mr. Cuddles, Lex's burmese python, and he had become quite good at swimming. His wings were becoming stronger and Lex even encouraged him to practice his flight!

Vlad, because the glass protected him from the UV and because he enjoyed Lex's company, had changed his sleep schedule to that of a human's.

It was 5:40 AM when Lex wandered downstairs, drawn by the sound of Bloodborne being played in the rec room. She had taught Vlad how to play the game last week and he had been practicing the game almost every day. Lex grabbed a bottle of vodka and flopped down on the beanbag chain next to his. "How you doin'" she asked, watching the screen. He was pretty good... Lex had worried that the violence in the game might bring out his more aggressive, vicious side, but so far it hadn't. He enjoyed the game and she enjoyed having someone to play it with.

6:20 AM

Lex got up and fixed Drăculea's food and her own breakfast.

6:41 AM

There was a knock on the door. Drăculea looked questioningly to his master. Lex shrugged and got up to see who it was. She wasn't expecting anyone. Grabbing the 1911-A1 .45 Springfield Armory off the coffee table, she walked cautiously to the door. It was Andrew...

Lex was stunned... how had he found her? Didn't matter... she wasn't that hard to find... he didn't know she was a merc and he had stupidly walked right up to her door. Smug kid... he hadn't taken her seriously when she said she better never see him around. Here he was! She had to give him credit though... he'd brought 5 other mercenaries with him... bigger, stronger men. She had seven shots, she could take them. They weren't expecting a fight.

Drăculea followed his master to the door, he got out to the main entry before Lex noticed and told him to stop. Opening the door slightly, she greeted Andrew. "Hello Andrew, I believe I made it clear that you were to stay away from us and especially Drăculea and yet here you are with company. A little rude, don't you think?"

Andrew smirked, "hello, Lex... about that... I need my vampire back, I will return the chopper but I need Alucard back. He has been passed down for generations and I shouldn't have sold him."

"Sorry to hear that, you aren't getting him back though" she said, leaning against the door now, arms folded, right hand behide the doorframe concealing the gun.

"Well that's too bad, guess we'll have to take him. Bring him to me!" He shouted to the men behind him. Drăculea saw now, it was his former master and some of the Hellsing's ruthless mercenaries... he had to help his master, she would be killed. He had to get to her, to cross the distance before they did but his body betrayed him... he had backed into a corner, hissing and bearing his fangs. Lex backed up, slamming the heavy door forward just as the first man crossed the doorway. The door cracked him in the head, his momentum carried him forward but he was concussed. As his body passed, Lex pistol whipped him in the back of the head leaving him completely unconscious. His limp body slid across the floor, almost to where Drăculea was crouched, fearfully crying out for his master to run. After the first man came through and was fended off, the next two men were already entering. Lex backed up, letting them come through, firing off two shots, each a head shot... she loved her gun... the tolerance was tight enough to pound nails with! Each bullet found it's mark sounding like a cannon going off.

Drăculea was screaming... no, it was more like a screech... it followed after the gunshots and was equally as deafening but with a higher, more painful pitch. Lex glanced back at her terrified vampire, he was curled up, covering his ears and screeching like a banshee. He was okay, nothing had happened to him, and nothing would, as long as she could fend off the other mercs, two more to go.

Her glance had cost her the element of surprise and she had just enough time to sidestep before one of the men dove for her. Following his body as it fell, she pulled the trigger again, the knock-down power of a .45 ACP hollow tip was something beyond beauty. The bullet ripped through the man's skull, exploding the point of impact in a bloody mess. She didn't have time to appreciate the carnage as the final mercenary through himself at her. He managed to knock the gun out of her hand . She was about to be pinned but pushed off the ground in enough time to end up on top and deploy one of her knives. Reaching her own blade cost her dearly though, the man thrust his own blade into her just as she brought her blade up and stabbed him in the side of the neck. Ignoring her own wound, she twisted her knife and ripped it out of the man's neck. As his hands moved to cover the wound, she pulled his larger blade out of her shoulder and ran it through his stomach. Putting pressure on her injury, she rose to her feet, the final man's blood spattered across her face. Andrew stood, shocked. The terror on his face was hilarious to Lex but she managed to keep her act together with just a smirk, the same smirk he'd given her when he thought he was going to win.

"Andrew, tsk tsk tsk, you thought you were going to prance in here and take him from me?" She cooed, stalking towards him. He was inside her house and she was coming around to the side, blocking his exit like a lioness stalking her prey. "Silly boy!" She spat. "You were so stupid, you walked right into this!"

"Youu... yoouuu... c... can't kill me... I am important... my family is important!" He stammered.

"You are quite right... but do believe me when I tell you there are fates worse than death. I know very well of your status... these mercenaries of yours were expendable, they won't be missed or looked for... but you would be." She said, stalking over to him, pinning him to the wall with her presence. "I have no further need of the helicopter, keep it, it was part of a contact that we both signed, the contract you broke. I told you never to come near him and yet you stand before me now with your small group of mercenaries lying dead on the ground... I told you never to cross me and you did. But again, as you said, I cannot touch you... not exactly. However, what you failed to realize and what you must certainly, unless you are as stupid as you look, see now, I am a capable mercenary myself. In fact, you might say I'm pretty high up on the international mercenary and assassins list. I have connections in every country, I can bring you to financial ruin, I can slander your family name, I will end you... and no matter where you go, you will be hunted, and when I am finished with you, no one will even remember your family's name. You are nothing and you've picked a fight you cannot win." Andrew was on the ground now and Lex was bent over him, her face inches from his. She could smell his fear. Laughing, she stood up, "lucky for you, I have more pressing matters to attend to" she said, looking over at Drăculea who was hugging his knees and rocking back and forth as he whimpered softly. "I haven't got the time to place all those calls right now... I will collect your information in case I decide to put a bounty on your head or bring you to your knees as I described before... but other than that, after you apologize to Drăculea, on your knees, you may leave. And I suggest thank me for not dismembering you or feeding you to Mr. Cuddles."

Andrew gulped audibly, "I'm sorry, Alucard fo..." "Drăculea" Lex interrupted. Looking fearfully up at Lex, Andrew started again, "I'm sorry... Drăculea... for everything... we did to you and made you do" he looked back at Lex who nodded her approval. Walking to the printer to pull out a sheet of paper, she returned, folding the paper and taking out her knife. She grabbed Andrew's hands, stabbing each finger enough to draw blood and collected each fingerprint. Then she scanned his face and eyes as well as his IDs. Once done she said "you may leave... dog" "thank you for letting me live" he said, dashing for the door.

Lex turned back to Drăculea... her heart hurt for him but in a way, she felt at peace... she finally, in a way had closure from her sister's death... she had been able to protect her this time. Though this time it was Drăculea she had protected, it still brought her peace. He was sobbing and whimpering. She wasn't exactly sure how to approach him.

Painfully getting down on hands and knees, she crawled slowly to him until she was about 4' away. "Drăculea, it's okay now, it's over... you're safe now..." the vampire was still whimpering. He looked up at her, his eyes scanning the carnage and finder her own again. He was scared... scared of how close he thought he'd come to being recaptured and scared of his master's reaction... he knew she was strong that she had weapons, he also knew how cold she looked, how cold and callous. But she had been kind to him... he thought maybe it was all just a facade. It apparently wasn't, the warmth she had shown him had been what was unnatural to her, this... this violence was who she was. Drăculea enjoyed violence, as a human he had certainly been a sadist, but it had been when he believed the person deserved it for a crime or something. Lex didn't really seem to care. The way she had slaughtered them wasn't the problem, it was her attitude... he enjoyed killing but he was always ordered to and he didn't wish to kill innocent women and children or older vampires like himself, Lex killed in her own free will, whomever she felt she could get away with killing. And if she couldn't, Well them apparently she would tear the person apart in any way possible until they'd want to kill themselves...

She got closer, arm outstretched, palm up, "I'm sorry, I... we should have told you... we have... high paying public image jobs but they were built on the money we got as mercenaries... we didn't tell you because we wanted you to have a life of peace here. We didn't want you to have to fight or feel the need to fight to protect yourself anymore because you are safe here." Vlad remained in the same position. Lex inched closer, she could almost touch him. Her left shoulder was hurting and soaking her shirt in blood. She put her arm down and sat cross legged. "I used to have a sister you know... after reading about your past and seeing you the way you were for the first time... you reminded me so much of her. I lost her, failed her. I failed to protect her when she was under my care, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to protect you. When I saw that your safety was threatened... my mind went back to my sister and I guess I just snapped. I forgot about not being violent in your presence. I should have gotten you to another room... I'm sorry... please, Drăculea, can you forgive me... I don't wish to hurt you in any way..." Lex shifted to her knees and outstretched both arms in a receiving way, inviting him to her. He looked her up and down eyes lingering on her wounded shoulder and scrambled to her, his slightly larger body trembling against her. He was still whimpering and pressed his face into her good shoulder, muffling his crying as his bloody tears soaked into her already bloody shirt.

She hummed softly to him. Eventually, his sobs subsided and his erratic breathing regulated. She stroked his soft hair. After some time, she had to move him though, she needed to clean up the mess, it was a polished concrete floor but it couldn't block out the blood forever. It she continued to leave if there, it would stain the floor. "Come on, would you like to go watch some TV or go to your coffin...?" He wanted to go to his coffin but he wanted to watch TV first and get cleaned up... "TV, please" he answered weakly... pulled a little towards the stairs. Lex followed, making sure to shield him from most of the scene.

 **Drăculea's POV**

She had fought for him? Not because she was defending herself... they had intended to take him and she stopped them, all of them and she was wounded in the process. No one had ever fought for him, not his mother or father or his older brother when the Turks held him and Radu as political prisoners... his father even broke the treaty, essentially sacrificing them both! When he'd come back to power, his allies let him down and in the very end, his own bodyguards failed him. All his life had been instability after instability but now, someone was standing up for him, fighting for him, Master... Master cared.

 **Lex**

Once he was upstairs and Lex made sure he was okay, she dressed her wound and got to the cleaning. She removed any bullets still in the body and removed the clothes, checking for valuables. Once done, she drug them to the freezer where they would be sawed in half once frozen and stored to be fed to Mr. Cuddles when it was to for him to eat again. It all took about an hour and a half to get it done but everything was pretty much as good as new. Then she went up to check on Vlad.


End file.
